How to Strengthen Our Knees

"With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,

and encourage those who have weak knees.

Say to those with fearful hearts,

'Be strong, and do not fear,

for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.

He is coming to save you.'"

Isaiah 35:3-4

I remember a silly scene in an unknown film, possibly Monty Python, where some men were buried up to their knees in the ground.  As my memory goes, they laid down and stood up in tandem while chanting, "We must strengthen our knees!"  Even though I was unable to find the clip as I remembered it, today's scripture passage brought this scene to mind.  When times are tough and it seems there's nothing for which to live and I'm weary and weak in the knees from fear or worry, Jesus will give me hope and courage to press on.

Restoration.  It's not always going to be like this.  Entropy rules in this fallen world.  Everything moves toward chaos and disorder.  It all is deteriorating in one way or another.  My body is aging; skin loses elasticity, muscles and tendons lose flexibility and strength, organs wear out, joints cease working properly, cancer threatens.  Similarly, relationships tend to fall apart.  If no effort is made to improve, no input of energy made toward building bonds, they too deteriorate.  Even my garden left to its own devices will become covered in weeds and the plants would die of neglect.  Without my constant attention, little fruit would be produced.

It's no wonder I need a master Gardener to tend to my soul (John 15:5).  I need the hope that comes from knowing that His Spirit is at work within me, growing me and transforming me into the woman He originally created me to be ( Philippians 2:13, Romans 12:2): The me that was His design apart from the sin that now corrupts it.  While I'm in this world I'll never fully achieve His vision for me, but I have the hope that He continues to work in me, never giving up (Philippians 1:6). 

God is a God of restoration who is always at work returning His image bearers to their original condition with the full realization coming when Christ returns (Isaiah 35:1-2).  I have hope in Christ!

Splendor.  It's sometimes hard to see.  I really have to look for it.  It's there but I often focus on the broken, the ugly, the hurtful that blares up in my face.  The beauty is quiet, not vying for my attention like the shattered is.  It's easy to see the litter strewn along the road but fail to appreciate the wildflowers growing among the tall grass in the ditch.  Or the fluffy, white clouds looming above the parched, barren land.  Or the sparkling eyes peering out of the face mangled by horror beyond imagination.  

There will come a time when God's splendor will be displayed for all to see.  There will no longer be any doubt that Jesus is Lord as every knee bows to His magnificent beauty (Philippians 2:9-11).  All will see with clear eyes, no longer hampered by sin.  Some will rejoice at His coming, others will weep and gnash their teeth as they realize they missed His majesty when they had the chance to get to know Him (Luke 13:22-30).

God is a God of splendor that is fully displayed in the glory of His Son (Hebrews 1:3).  I have hope in Christ!

Salvation.  I'm broken in so many ways, inside and out.  The world is also messed up as everything is turned upside down with evil reigning and good being suppressed.  Pain is the mantra of the broken.  To where can I turn to find help?  Who will rescue me?  My greatest fear is to be left all alone without anyone to call out to, that the evil criminal is pounding on my door and when I call 9-1-1,no one answers.  From where does my help come in times such as these?

I need a Savior, and I've found Him in Christ Jesus.  He's the strong One, the brave One, the compassionate One.  Not only does He care, but He has the power to save.  And He has. In dying on the cross He destroyed the power of sin and death, the root of all evil, the thing that ruins beauty, and ushered me into a state of forgiveness where I'm made right with God (Hebrews 2:14, 2 Timothy 1:10, Romans 6:6, 2 Corinthians 5:21).  And if God is by my side, who can really hurt me (Romans 8:31)?  Who is greater than God that they could overpower Him?  No, Jesus is the Victor and I am His beneficiary by faith (Romans 8:37).  In Him, I have the hope of freedom from anything that I could ever fear.

God is a God of salvation delivered through faith in Jesus Christ.  I have hope in Christ!

It's easy to get downhearted in this broken world filled with heartache and things to fear.  I can quickly become overcome with fear and worry.  But in Christ I have hope.  I have restoration, God's splendor revealed, and salvation in Him.  This is the hope that can strengthen my knees and empower me to stand firm until the end!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to keep my eyes on Jesus no matter what is thrown my way.

How do I get so overwhelmed with the bad that I cannot see the good that is coming through Christ?

When do I see only the hurt and not the good that comes from it?