Friday, December 28, 2018


A Weary World Rejoices
By Elin Henderson

“…a word in season to him [or her] who is weary…”
Isaiah 50:4a (NKJV)

I can’t think of a better word to describe our world today. People are weary. Weary of worry... weary of hurting…weary of war…weary of hunger…weary of “keeping up with the Joneses.” The church is not immune to this. Many pastors today are weary in their pulpits, wondering, “Is my message getting through?” Laypeople likewise are weary of being in this world but not of it, longing to make a difference but wondering how. Sometimes we can grow weary in our Christian walks…we struggle onward, keeping up appearances, but inwardly knowing that we aren’t where we would like to be.

What do weary people need? Rest, refreshment, relief, and how about some rejoicing?! “Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy….” In the person of Jesus, born in a manger so long ago…. we can rejoice today in who HE is, and what HE has done for us. He is “the shadow of a rock in a weary land”(Isaiah 32:2, NIV). When life becomes dry and empty, He is our shade and protection! He is our “good shepherd” (John 10:11) bringing our weary souls back into the fold of His love and care. He is literally our rest: “This is the rests with which you may cause the weary to rest…” (Isaiah 28:12, NIV). He “…neither faints nor is weary.” He is unstoppable.

What does He do for us? He “…satiates the weary soul” (Jeremiah 31:25, NIV). He alone satisfies us. He fills us up when we are empty! He carries the heavy stuff for us: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me…you will find rest for your souls”(Matthew11:28-29, NIV). He is our powerhouse: “He gives power to the weak and to those who have no might…” (Isaiah 40:29, NIV) He renews our strength: “they shall run and not be weary…walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:30-31, NIV).

Our world is weary…weary of striving and weary of trying. May the message of who Christ is and what He has done (and still does) for us bring rejoicing to our own hearts. May we in turn share this good news of great joy with the weary world around us.

GOING DEEPER:                                                       
  1. Can you think of anyone in the Bible, or a friend who knows Christ, who experienced weariness? (Hint: look in your Bible concordance at the back for biblical stories of David, Elijah, Job….)
  2. How did who HE was and what HE did refresh them?

FURTHER READING:

Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson (a registered nurse) and her husband Phil serve as church planters with Ethnos 360 in Mozambique, Africa.  Elin is mother to eighteen-year-old Callie and fifteen-year-old Elias.