He is Mighty to Save (Isaiah 40)

Isaiah 40:10 — Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

The footnotes here point to Scripture referring to the Lord's strong arm in destroying the wicked. While this is true and part of the prophesies, I like another meaning I find in verses like this. His work is before Him. What is God's work? To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children. In this verse I read that God is strong and will apply His strength to the work ahead of Him. In other words, we must trust the Lord, for He is mighty to save and will spend His strength to save us and to restore us.

Isaiah 40:12 — Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

No one can comprehend how deep the power of His hand is. His Atonement is greater and more far-reaching than we can imagine.

Isaiah 40:13 — Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

This is a continuation of the limitlessness of His power. We shouldn't imagine to counsel saying His reach is anything less than incomprehensible.

Isaiah 40:26 — Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

Not only is He all powerful, but than we see the contrast of His power to the intimacy and individual nature of His love for each of us, His children, for He knows each one of us by name. I said contrast, because that is what the world would expect -great power to conflict with individual care. But it is the Lord's great power that enables Him to love so individually with such great charity, mercy, and grace.

Isaiah 40:31 — But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

This entire chapter talks about how magnificent our God is so that in this last verse we can learn that His strength is ours as we hope for Him, trust Him, and follow Him. How beautiful a chapter that spends all it's time talking about how great God is only to wrap the ending into the fact that all His glory and work is for His children. The strength that knowledge gives me is incredible. Knowing that my Father and my Savior are in my corner empowers me to continue forward through the trials of life with hope and knowledge that they will take care of me and lead me to everlasting joy. I need only trust.