Strengthened to Endure

KEY VERSE: “The LORD God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.” —Isaiah 50:7

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 50:1-11

BEING CALLED TO be a servant of God is not an easy thing. In today’s Selected Scripture, Isaiah speaks of the servant’s relationship with God, and calls on us to reflect upon this question: Can God’s servants endure all the trials and tribulations that come their way, no matter what?

The life of Jesus—our guide and pattern—was marked by severe persecution, even unto his death on the cross. He was mocked, spat upon, flogged, crowned with thorns, and crucified. Yet he never resisted, never complained, never looked for an easier way. “The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” (John 18:11) Jesus taught his disciples that they would be expected to drink from this same cup of suffering. “Ye shall drink indeed of my cup.” (Matt. 20:23) Those walking in the footsteps of Jesus have been told to expect difficult trials. “Ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”—Matt. 10: 22

Endurance under such difficult conditions requires help from above. Isaiah paints a picture of a servant who is in constant communication with God. “He wakeneth morning by morning,” indicating that these servants begin each day in a prayerful attitude. (vs. 4) Serving God requires meditating upon his ways each day of our lives, from morning till night, always seeking his will to be done in our lives. Isaiah comforts us with the fact that our Heavenly Father will then open our eyes and our ears for direction.

“The Lord God will help me.” (vs. 7) This is a direct promise to his faithful servants that he will always be with them so they should never be ashamed. Jesus demonstrated this constant, prayerful relationship with God, and left an example for us. God will never forsake nor leave us. Just as he stayed with his Son through his most difficult hours, so will he be with us. This should give us great comfort to face the hardships we meet in our Christian lives.

The close relationship between God and his servants benefits more than just the servant. “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.” (vs. 4) How well do we sustain others during their times of trial? Sometimes we give strength by just ‘being there’, when words are not even necessary. Sometimes it is by doing small acts of kindness to encourage or comfort, diminishing the heavy load of life; or by remembering in prayer the weary ones that the Lord might overrule and help them not to forget that he is always there to help them.

Constantly listen for the voice of God. “He wakeneth morning by morning. He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God hath opened mine ear.” (vss. 4,5) God is always speaking to us, giving us strength to endure, through the prophets, the apostles, our Master, and our brethren. In a world so cluttered with distractions, it is easy to miss God’s voice in our lives. May we always remember Isaiah’s promise that God will strengthen us: “Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.”—vs. 10

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