Weary Archives - Pastor Terry Lema's Daily Devotions

I have been working hard to strengthen my physical body and increase my stamina. Years of pain and fatigue from immune diseases and lately from a bout with a virus have stolen my physical strength and endurance. I do not want to be confined to a lounge chair. I want to do my worship walks again and have enough energy to enjoy life beyond the confines of my house.

I work hard to walk a little farther, lift a bit more, move more frequently. But there are still times, like last Saturday when all I want to do is sit. Fatigue sets in and it seems my whole body just hurts.

I find also that as I deal with the pain and fatigue in my physical body, it saps my emotional and spiritual energy as well. Pain demands attention. It seeks to rule.

So I went looking for Scriptures about strength and ended up walking through Isaiah 40. “’Comfort, comfort My people,’ says your God.”

As I finished the chapter, I sensed the presence of God. I felt His everlasting arms embrace me. The comfort we need for all of life is resident within the LORD.

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? Yahweh is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never grows faint or weary; there is no limit to His understanding. He gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless.” [Isaiah 40:28-29 HCSB]

It is Yahweh, the LORD, who gives strength to the weary and power to the powerless. The pain and fatigue in my body may not go away, but the LORD renews my spirit. He fills me with His strength to overcome the weariness and His power to overcome the weakness. Pain no longer rules.

Comfort, comfort My People! Amen

Reading in the book of Deuteronomy I came across this verse. “Remember what the Amalekites did to you on the journey after you left Egypt. They met you along the way and attacked all your stragglers from behind when you were tired and weary. They did not fear God.” [Deuteronomy 25:17-18 HCSB]

After reading that I needed to go back and see what the Amalekites did do to the children of Israel after they left Egypt. The attack is described in Exodus 17. It happened at Rephidim.

Exodus 17 begins with the children of Israel camping at Rephidim and finding no water there. Moses, instructed by God, struck the rock and water flowed to nourish them. [vs 1-7]

But, while at Rephidim, the Amalekites attacked. God told Moses to have Joshua command the battle while Moses stood on the hilltop with his staff in his hand. As long as Moses held up the staff, Israel prevailed in the battle, but when he tired and put his hand down, Amalek prevailed. Finally, Aaron and Hur came along side and helped Moses hold up the staff until Israel won. [vs 8-13]

Apparently, the Amalekites struck when Israel was tired and weary and picked off the stragglers. We all get tired and weary at times. It is not a sin to be tired and weary sometimes.

But as believers, we have been invited by our Savior to come to Him when we are tired and weary. He has promised to give us rest for our souls. “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” [Matthew 11:28]

The key word there is “come.” Like all invitations, it is our responsibility to respond and accept Jesus’ invitation. It is our responsibility to “come.”

If we fail to come when we are tired and weary, we might find ourselves picked off like the stragglers at Rephidim.

Weary

Weary & Weak

Falling Behind