Chapter 1 · Encounter 4 of 48
Power and Tenderness
Prepare
Through Isaiah, God speaks words of comfort to a people facing exile and uncertainty. The prophet describes the Lord's coming with images of extraordinary power, then unexpectedly pictures him as a shepherd gently carrying his lambs. As you read, notice how Isaiah moves between God's greatness and his tender concern for his people.
Read Scripture
Open each passage here without leaving this Encounter.
Isaiah 40:9–11; 40:25–31
Isaiah 40:9-11
9You who bring good news to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
10See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
11He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
Isaiah 40:25-31
25“To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
26Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
27Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28Do 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.
29He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31but 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.
Ponder
- Isaiah describes God as a mighty ruler, a tender shepherd, and the incomparable Creator. What surprises you about these different pictures appearing together? How does each one deepen your understanding of the others?
- In Isaiah 40:27-31, God's people wonder whether he has overlooked their troubles. How does Isaiah respond to their concern? When you face circumstances that leave you feeling weary or forgotten, which aspect of God's character in this passage is hardest for you to hold onto?
Isaiah 40:27-31
27Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28Do 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.
29He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31but 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.
Look Again
You probably recognized the familiar promise at the end of this chapter about soaring on wings like eagles, running without growing weary, and walking without fainting.
But did you notice who makes that promise possible? Look back at Isaiah 40:10-11; 40:28-29. The everlasting God, the Creator who never grows weary, is also the Shepherd who gathers his lambs and carries them close to his heart.
How does seeing these familiar promises in light of the Shepherd's character deepen their meaning for you?
Practice
Take a few minutes today to observe something that reminds you of God's greatness—the sky, the natural world, or the vastness of creation.
Then return to Isaiah 40:11 11He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.Isaiah 40:11
Let that awareness become an act of quiet worship.
Prayer
Spend a moment considering both the greatness and tenderness of God. Praise him for who he is, then speak honestly about where you feel weak, weary, or uncertain. Ask him to help you trust both his strength and his care.