For my friend Ben and his family, the past week has been incredibly tumultuous. He has literally been dangling on a thread between life and death. If ever there has been a time when I have seen the tangible effects of God’s people praying, it has been during this week.The other day, Jen posted the following comment on Facebook when Ben was first beginning to emerge from sedation:

“Holding Ben’s hand. Looking deeply into his eyes. Hearing him say I love you. Listening to him repeat My Jesus is my strength…My Jesus is my strength. Seeing him being so thankful to the nurses when they gave him ice. Being reminded that God’s ways are not our ways. Resting in the sovereignty of Our Savior.”

Wow. I hope and pray my life can reflect that kind of grace. To awake from the nightmare of suffering and pain repeating, “my Jesus is my strength, my Jesus is my strength.”. 

 I hope and pray we may embody the words of this final section of Isaiah 40 with the same kind of Holy Spirit-infused confidence in the strength of our God.

“Why do you complain, Jacob?

    Why do you say, Israel,

“My way is hidden from the Lord;

    my cause is disregarded by my God”?

Do you not know?

    Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

    the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

    and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary

    and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

    and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord

    will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

    they will run and not grow weary,

    they will walk and not be faint.”