A Prayer about Becoming Weak and Inefficient

…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 40:31.

Gracious Lord,

I remember memorizing this verse 

as an achievement-oriented high school student, 

a fifteen-year-old eager to renew my strength 

and to run and not be weary. 

It’s easy to see now how I misunderstood 

a lot of what this verse was about, 

but I confess, in our achievement-oriented, 

efficiency-seeking society, 

it’s not always easy to remember 

that the gospel isn’t about strength, 

accomplishment, 

or efficiency.

Indeed, you were speaking to the Israelites in exile 

in these verses, 

assuring them in the midst of their frailty, 

in the aftermath of their sinful rebellion, 

that you would send a Savior:

“Comfort, comfort my people, 

says your God. 

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, 

and cry to her that her warfare has ended, 

that her iniquity is pardoned” (Isaiah 40:1).

Oh, patient and merciful God, 

help us to see that in our weakness, 

you alone are our strength; 

that in our idol of efficiency, 

you alone are our salvation. 

Help us to learn to wait on you, 

to watch to see 

what you are doing in our lives 

and in this world 

through the transforming love of Jesus Christ.

In Jesus’ perfectly sufficient name. Amen.

Read Isaiah 40.