God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you– Exodus 3:14

Speaking to Moses out of the burning bush, God gave himself a personal name. It has been pronounced “Jehovah” or “Yahweh”, but the meaning is unmistakable.

God is the great I AM, the eternal, self-existent One. He has always been, and He will always be. He depends on nothing and no one, and He never changes in His essential nature and being. He is not limited by time. He is not the “I was” or the “I will be”; He is always the I AM.

Perhaps your life has been anything but stable. Perhaps your circumstances have seen many ups and downs, backwards and forwards. Perhaps you have regrets about the past or worries about the future.

If so, you are like every other human being. None of us controls our own life, circumstances, or surroundings. All of us have known what it is to suffer loss, disappointment, and heartache. But God has not.

Why is this comforting? Because this same God has enlisted himself on behalf of His creatures. He is not only an unchanging rock in the middle of a constantly changing world — He invites you to build your life and love on the stable rock of His character and goodness and promises.

On what is your hope and future built? Is your foundation laid in this fast-sinking world, or in the great and unchanging I AM?( From, “A Good Thing”)

“My grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in weakness”—2Cor. 12:9

Our weakness should be prized as making room for divine strength. We might never have known the power of grace if we had not felt the weakness of nature. Blessed be the LORD for the thorn in the flesh, and the messenger of Satan, when they drive us to the strength of God. This is a precious word from our LORD’s own lip. It has made the writer laugh for joy. God’s grace enough for me! I should think it is. Is not the sky enough for the bird and the ocean enough for the fish? The All-Sufficient is sufficient for my largest want. He who is sufficient for earth and heaven is certainly able to meet the case of one poor worm like me. Let us, then, fall back upon our God and His grace. If He does not remove our grief, He will enable us to bear it. His strength shall be poured into us till the worm shall thresh the mountains, and a nothing shall be victor over all the high and mighty ones. It is better for us to have God’s strength than our own; for if we were a thousand times as strong as we are, it would amount to nothing in the face of the enemy; and if we could be weaker than we are, which is scarcely possible, yet we could do all things through Christ.–Faith’s Checkbook

Considering the wretched condition of our nation and the many challenges we face, we sometimes act as though this is something new. It isn’t! This comment from John Newton (1725-1807) sounds as if it could have been written yesterday, and it gives us some wise counsel as to how we face tomorrow.

“The whole system of my politics  is summed up in this one verse, “The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble–” Psalm 99:1

The times look awfully dark indeed; and as the clouds grow thicker–the stupidity of the nation seems proportionally to increase. If the Lord had not a remnant here, I would have very formidable apprehensions. But He loves His children; some are sighing and mourning before Him, and I am sure He hears their sighs, and sees their tears. I trust there is mercy in store for us at the bottom; but I expect a shaking time before things get into a right channel–before we are humbled, and are taught to give Him the glory.

The state of the nation, the state of the churches–both are deplorable! Those who should be praying–are disputing and fighting among themselves! Alas! how many professors are more concerned for the mistakes of government–than for their own sins!”

We live worthily—only when we do what God sent us here to do. A splendid career in the sight of men—has no splendor in God’s sight—if it is but the striving of human ambition; if it is not God’s ideal for the life.

Not the making of a fine worldly career, therefore—but the simple doing of God’s will—is the one true aim in living. Thus only can we achieve real success. If we do this, though we fail in the earthly race—we shall not fail in God’s sight. We may make no name among men, may raise for ourselves no monument of earthly glory—but if we please God by a life of obedience and humble service, and build up within us a character in which divine virtues shine—we shall have attained abiding success.

The only way, therefore, to make our life nobly and truly successful, is to devote ourselves to the doing of God’s will. It is not the things we want to do, that are the best—but the things God would have us do. Ofttimes these may be things which to our thought it is scarcely worth while to do, and the turning aside from our fine schemes and conspicuous efforts—to attend to these trivialities may appear to be a wasting of talent and time. But always, God’s will is the grandest thing we can find to do in all the world, though it is in men’s eyes—the lowliest task our hands can do.

An autobiographical passage in the life of Norman McLeod illustrates this. “My life,” he says, “is not what I would have chosen. I often long for quiet, for reading, and for thought. It seems to me to be a very paradise to be able to read, to think, go deep into things, to gather the glorious riches of intellectual culture. But God in his providence, has forbidden this to me. I must spend hours in receiving people who wish to speak to me about all manner of trifles; I must reply to letters about nothing; I must engage in public work on everything; I must employ my life on what seems uncongenial, vanishing, temporary, wasteful. Yet God knows me better than I know myself. He knows my gifts, my abilities, my failings, and my weakness; what I can do—and what I cannot do. So I desire to be led, and not to lead; to follow him. I am quite sure he has thus enabled me to do a great deal more in ways which seemed to me almost a waste of life, in advancing his kingdom; than I would have done any other way.”

The most successful life—is the one which submits the most cheerfully and the most completely, to the will of God. It will not be an indolent life, nor will it be aimless and purposeless. It is the will of God—that every ability of our being shall be brought out, trained, and disciplined to its highest possibility, and devoted to the noblest and worthiest service. But the dominant influence in our life, should always be the will of God—and not any ambition of our own. Then shall we fulfill the purpose for which God made us, when he sent us into the world. And this will be the noblest career possible for us!–J. R. Miller,1900

We all need strength. Life is tough, our enemies are many and mighty, our duties are difficult, and the flesh is frail—we need strength! Fortunately God promises and provides what we need. One of the most precious of God’s many promises is found in Isaiah 40:29-31.

In the face of our grievous problems we see God’s glorious promise and gracious provision of strength. Those who “wait upon the Lord”–submissively, prayerfully, attentively, and expectantly, “shall renew their strength”. The result is three-fold. Those who exchange their weakness for God’s strength shall:

1. “mount up with wings as eagles”. They are enabled to rise above the circumstances, do the impossible, and meet the extra-ordinary!
2. “run and not be weary”–enabled to fulfill their crucial duties, the obligations that call for diligence and haste.
3. “walk, and not faint’–enabled to bear up under the daily grind or ordinary usual things of life.

It is for this reason the the famous missionary Hudson Taylor said,” God’s work, done in God’s way, by those in God’s will, never lack God’s supply”. Dear friend you might not be a famous missionary, but if you are a child of God in the will God you can rest assured that God will give you the strength to conquer your enemies, cope with your trials, and complete your duties. He who is able will enable you–so much so that you will not lack any good thing! As the storms rage around you, calm your trembling soul by resting upon His “exceeding great and precious promises”. They will not fail you!