Today’s Reading: Isaiah 40
This week my son and I attended Freshman Orientation at the University of Missouri. Since this is my oldest child, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. After check in, their first item of business was to send the parents to one location and the students to another. I’d say about half of the auditorium was filled with rookie parents like me – parents who were sending their first child to college. Opening remarks were given by the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs / the Dean of Students, who designed his entire 15 minute message to give parents comfort. After watching over and protecting these kids for the last 18 years, he wanted to give us confidence that Mizzou had all the right resources to help our kids be successful as we launched them into adulthood.
In much the same way, Isaiah 40 is all about comfort. Through the prophet Isaiah, God’s message was aimed at giving his people confidence that he would take care of them, that he alone was all they needed.
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God…
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:1, 28-31).
Am I comfortable sending my 18 year old on his own to a university with 30,000 other students? I am, but not necessarily because the university has all the right resources he needs to be successful. But rather because he and I both put our faith in the one true God who provides all we need.