Strong Hands and Knees
Today’s Verse:
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. ~Isaiah 35:3
Isaiah 35 is about the Millennium, or the one-thousand-year reign of Christ on Earth. During the Millennium our Lord will rule the Earth and His people will be rulers over cities. The picture we see is a desert, barren world becoming fruitful and lush. We see people who have been crippled being given the ability to walk and run. We see people who are weakened and depleted being given strength and power. Isaiah 35:3 is also quoted in Hebrews 12:12 for those who have gone through an intense time of spiritual discipline. We see an exhortation for God’s people who are exhausted, exasperated, and weakened by circumstances, trials, and suffering.
We see the condition.
Isaiah speaks of weak hands and feeble knees. He is speaking about people who have become weakened and weary due to service, suffering, and senility. Hard work and frequent usage of our hands eventually affect our grip and ability to hold anything heavy for a long period of time. Carrying burdens for a long period of time weakens us. Working constantly with our hands and not allowing margin for rest weakens them. Feeble knees are a result of kneeling or standing for a long period of time over many years. When you have feeble knees, you find it difficult to walk, bend, and kneel. Serving without seasons of rest will weaken us. Suffering weakens us. Suffering inhibits serving and mobility. We feel depleted and unable to do anything worthwhile for an extended season. Aging (see Ecclesiastes 12) and senility make our body weaker over time. Weakened hands and feeble knees affect all of God’s people.
We see the command.
God commands us to strengthen the weakened hands and confirm, or make strong, the feeble knees. First, this implies we must begin trusting God again. There is a correlation between trusting God and our strength. The greater our faith and trust, the stronger we are. The longer we serve, the more difficulties we encounter, and the older we get; the more we must trust God and not less. Second, this implies training. To be physically fit, strength training is critical for strong bones and muscles. This will involve resistance exercises and weightlifting. Start serving God with more rigor and do not slack off. Pray more on your knees and not less. Exercise more faith and not less. When God does not give an immediate answer, wait on Him. When you get pushback from people, thank the Lord for this resistance and let it build you.
We see the capability.
Strong hands are needed for God’s work to go forward. The Bible says, “They strengthened their hands for this good work.” Strong hands are needed for God’s work to be sustained. The more hands involved, the better. Then, strong knees are how we get a hold of God. The most important part of every day is when we have had an extended season on our knees in prayer. Strong knees build a strong faith and is the starting point for victory in every spiritual battle. With strong knees, we call on God to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. Strong knees are the means for souls to be saved, preachers to be called, and revival to come to a church. Together, strong hands and knees typify a warrior and worker of God who attains spiritual victory, spiritual vitality, and spiritual virtue.
If your service and prayer life have become weak, start today to strengthen those weak hands and feeble knees. Have a strengthened God Morning! Bible Reading Schedule: Isaiah 31-35