A Word for the Weary
You have heard it said, "Do not grow weary in doing good", and you have seen it written that "you will renew your strength, you will mount up on eagle's wings, you shall run and not grow weary". But if you are anything like me, “weary” is the exact word that describes your experience. We grow so tired with sin. It is toilsome keeping up with the daily news count (whatever it happens to be today and whatever it may be about). And the to-do-list, the amount to read, the stacks of work—it can be crushingly burdensome. Are you with me in this, dear Christian, or am I alone in growing tired?
Lest this post be misunderstood as complaint, let us turn our gaze to the One who is all too familiar with the temptations of being overwhelmed and done in…yet without sin. There is a beautiful description of the Servant of the Lord in Isaiah 50, which includes his unrelenting commitment to our redemption, though it meant his relentless suffering and death (verses 6-7)—so we know well the identity of this Servant. But within this chapter of the Gospel according to Isaiah, verse 4 is squarely set, which speaks of the special ministry of Christ to the weary:
The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.
It is fascinating to see how the author of Hebrews uses the “opening of Christ’s ear” to speak of the incarnation itself (Hebrews 10:5). That Christ took on flesh, so he literally has an ear and a tongue. And notice how the incarnate Messiah uses his ear and his tongue in this verse of Isaiah 50. He continually listens to the word of God, learns the word of God, and speaks the word of God. But he does so with a distinct purpose: “That he might sustain him who is weary”.
Think with me about this unique ministry of your Savior, friends. Certainly, while on earth, Jesus tended his lambs; was near to the downcast and brokenhearted; and sought out those of his who were lost. It could easily be said during his humiliation, that Christ sought to sustain the weary with the word of the Lord.
But what of the resurrected, exulted, and glorified Christ?! This continues to be the ministry of our once-suffered Servant. Day by day, before the face of his Father, he is attentive to the truth of God, for he himself is Truth. And he relays that truth to we who are weary, by his word and the very same eternal Spirit through whom he offered himself. This is the ongoing ministry of your King and Lord: he sustains the one who grows so easily worn in this vale of tears. The same Man who said “come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden” is the one who continues to provide you with genuine rest. And he primarily does so as he speaks forth his word “morning by morning”, day after day.
Are you weary today, saints? I know I am. So let us seek our refreshment from the exulted, incarnate Christ, as he is committed to sustaining us by his every word! And therefore, may the Word be the needed word to you who are weary.
