God’s Grace Sustains Us

MEMORY VERSE: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” —II Corinthians 12:9

ISAIAH 40:25-31

WHEN we contemplate the fact that God’s grace sustains us, as set forth in the caption of our lesson, the emphasis should be placed on the pronoun “us”—meaning the Lord’s dedicated people. Too often these days the precious assurances given in the Bible to the people of God are misapplied to merely nominal believers, and sometimes to those who do not consider themselves believers at all. God loves the whole world of mankind, and that love is manifested through the gift of his Son to be their Redeemer and Savior, but the special promises of help and protection in time of need belong only to those who are making every effort possible to please him.

The promise of strength from God as set forth in this first section of the lesson is prefaced by a reminder of the great strength and understanding of our Creator, upon whom we depend for guidance and strength. Verse 26 reads, “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number; he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.”

It is impossible for the human mind to grasp with any degree of clarity the infinite power represented in the orderly movement of the countless millions of heavenly bodies, each kept precisely in its own orbit. And to think that the Creator has given names to all these, and is able to recall those names at will! To think of this reminds us of the mighty power which is enlisted by divine love on behalf of those who are fully surrendered to the doing of the will of our God.

The Lord’s people, in times of trial and discouragement, are sometimes prone to wonder what the Lord is doing to help them; or indeed, if he pays any attention to them. This is suggested in verse 27. Then the Lord answers: “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.”—vss. 28-30

“There is no searching of His understanding” We may think that God has passed us over, or forgotten us, but not so. All God’s people are subject to tests, tests of faith in the Lord and in his care for them. This applies even to those whom we may consider to be strong, symbolized here by the “youths” and the “young men”; but regardless of their status in life, the Lord cares for his people—for those who wait on him.

Verse 31 reads, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” What a wonderfully reassuring promise! May we lay hold upon it, and continue to put our trust in the Lord.

PHILIPPIANS 4:10-13

We have no evidence in the Scriptures that Paul ever doubted that the Lord was caring for him. He suffered much in the divine cause, but he knew that this was a part of the divine plan for him, and for all the faithful followers of the Master. He knew that only if he suffered with Jesus could he expect to live and reign with him.

Paul was now in prison, and he rejoiced that the brethren at Philippi had remembered him by sending him a gift. He accepted this as a message of comfort from the Lord. “Not,” he said, “that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”

Paul knew, as our memory verse states, that God’s grace would always be sufficient for him; that when he was weak God’s strength was all the more manifested. Perhaps the gift sent by the Philippian brethren was not in itself especially valuable; but the cost of delivering it to him was great, for the messenger almost lost his life in the effort. This Paul greatly appreciated. Truly the love of the brethren is a wonderful blessing in any Christian’s life!

QUESTIONS

For whom does God manifest his special care?

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