The Name

Tired and sore after a big wedding weekend I sunk down into the comfy auditorium chairs. Mr. Snapp stood up at the standing-up-place and gave an introduction to our guest preacher, Tim Shorey. It was an introduction that I pretty much missed though, because I was concentrating on how tired I was at the moment and worrying about my best friend who was in the hospital with some unknown pain. So, besides rumors of him having been at Youth Camp last year, I'm still not sure what the connection is that we have with him. The important thing though is that he was there, and he was preaching a sermon that, little did we know, we all needed and still need. The main scripture was Isaiah 40 (one that I've always liked, but besides the last part, never really explored). And let me just say that before this, I'd never experienced a sermon where I'm on the edge of my seat, leaning forward for every word, looking straight into the speakers eyes, and holding back tears...but now I have.

The projection screen had the summary statement of the whole sermon up on the wall and as I read it over and over again, I noticed something. My blog name is what that something was. Leaning back into my chair for a moment I smiled and held back my "ah ha!" but only for a second because then I was back at the edge of my seat, my gaze held fast onto the face of a man that has beheld many trials, gone through many "affliction pile-ups", and was in the midst of pain and suffering at the very moment he spoke fiery encouragement into our hearts. We listened to a modern day apostle Paul. 

*"God over all, who because of Christ, gives strength to the trusting weary according to their need, in His time, to do the remarkable for His glory."

What struck me about the trusting weary part was that I know I'm weary, I'm weary a whole lot of the time. I was weary when I sat down to listen to the sermon. But am I trusting? Do I trust God that though I may be weary, He will use it to His glory and work all things out for good? I'm the weary, but am I the trusting weary? That, is what I want to be. I know that I'll always be weary, and it is my goal to live this life trusting in Him, no matter how weary I am, I will trust. It will be hard, especially when the weariness and suffering looks like it'll last forever, maybe it will. But I will trust, and in His time, He will give strength to do the remarkable for His glory. 

It was an incredible, incredible sermon and I've already listened to it again. I plan on listening to it with my friend that was in the hospital too. Everyone, and I mean everyone, can learn or at least be refreshed by this sermon. I encourage you to listen to it, while you clean the house, sometime after dinner, during dinner--whenever, just make sure you listen to it! :) 

After the sermon the band got up and played "Behold Our God" one of my favorite worship songs, and it all was just amazing.

  Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;

his understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the faint,

and to him who has no might he increases strength.

Even youths shall faint and be weary,

and young men shall fall exhausted;

but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint.

                               (Isaiah 40:28-31 ESV)

So let us strive to become the trusting weary.

*I cannot say for certain that that is the right wording...it's from memory...but it's the basic gist of it I guess. :)