January 19: Insight Post by Kim Feld
Monday Insight Post
by Kim Feld
One way I meditate on scripture is by looking at a verse or passage in different translations. I found that Isaiah 40:31 has three different words used in the first part of the verse:
But those who trust in the Lord….
But those who hope in the Lord….
But those who wait on the Lord….
The original Hebrew word in this verse is qavah, a verb meaning to wait, to hope for, and to put trust in. Trust, hope, and wait are not synonymous, but together they give us a fuller picture of what this verse means. This verse is not encouraging us to be passive while waiting for God; instead, we are encouraged to actively trust, hope, and wait with anticipation of what He will do. God will renew the strength of those who actively anticipate what He will do, leaning into Him with hope and trust. Nothing passive about that at all.
That information is so helpful to me because it gives me guidelines to follow when my strength is waning. It’s not just enough to ask God to renew my strength; I have a part to play in this, too. Am I expecting God to act? Am I trusting that He is always at work (see John 5:17) even when things are not clear to me? Is my hope in His ability to see me through, or am I placing more hope in something or someone else?
Isiah 40:31 is an incredible verse to claim for ourselves and for our friends and family members who are struggling. We are often unable to control the circumstances we find ourselves in, but we CAN control how we think about them. As followers of Christ, we are called to be people of HOPE. There is no circumstance that you and I will face today that is bigger than God, but deep down, do I really believe that? I find myself often quoting the words of the father who brought his child to Jesus to heal: “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).
Meditating on scripture is a way to internalize it, to grapple with it, and to build its truth into our lives. Meditating is active. It would be great if scripture could seep in by osmosis, but it just doesn’t work that way. Just like taking in physical nourishment requires us to chew and swallow, the same is true of God’s word. I have to ponder, reflect, and sometimes wrestle with it. Scripture reveals things about my relationship with God. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way:
12For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. Hebrews 4:12-13 (NLT)
Today, as we remember the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I am reminded of the ways God’s word filled him with courage, strength, and hope for a better world. Let his example remind us today of how God’s word can fill us and inspire us to persevere in the name of love.
Kim Feld
Executive Director of Education and Outreach
New Hope Church
Lorton, Virginia
www.newhope.org