Well, it's good to be with you here again tonight, and I count it a privilege to be here, and I'm thankful I'm able to help your pastor out tonight, and I trust help you all as well. Well, let's turn straight then to the Word of God, to Isaiah chapter 40. Isaiah chapter 40, and we'll pick up the reading from verse 25. Isaiah 40 and verse 25. Let us hear God's word. To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal, saith the Holy One? Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who have created these things, that bringeth out their hosts by number. He calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power, not one faileth. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. Amen. Let us come briefly again to the Lord in prayer. O gracious God, we come to Thee. We thank Thee for Thy Word that we have just heard, O Lord. And as we think of those words, our eyes are upon Thee. We wait on Thee, O Lord. And we do pray that Thou would speak to us through Thy Word tonight. and may we know that strength within our souls. Do help, O Lord, in the preaching of the word and in the hearing of the word. Speak, we pray. Forgive us our many sins, how we feel our unworthiness. Hear us, O God. Be pleased to favour us now, O Lord. Be so near to us, O God, and have all the glory for Christ's sake. Amen. Now you'll find my text in verse 31. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. Dear congregation, the psalmist said in Psalm 43 verse 5, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hoping God, for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God. At times the child of God can be cast down and despondent. A veil descends over the mind like a fog and at such times one needs to pause and reflect and consider the Lord and reason with their own soul, hope thou in God. It's interesting in Psalm 103 we see the psalmist there reasoning with his own soul, bless the Lord O my soul. Psalm 43 Hope thou in God. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God. We need to seriously reflect. We need to reason with our own souls. And we need to hope in God. We can be despondent. We can be cast down, as we see here in this 40th chapter. Now in this well-known chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah, there is much concerning Christ and the Gospel. We haven't got time to look at this tonight, but just notice verse 1. Comforty, comforty, my people. Save your God. There's comfort for the people of God. Their sins are forgiven, as we note in verse 2, note particularly verse 5, as a reference to the Lord, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. The glory of the Lord was revealed in the incarnation of Christ, and all were blessings flow in and through him. Note the Gospel in verse 9, O Zion, that bringest good tidings. Get thee up into the high mountain, O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings. Lift up thy voice with strength. Lift it up, be not afraid. Say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God. Behold Him. Behold Emmanuel. The Saviour, the wonderful Shepherd, as we note in verse 11. Just note those words, they're precious words. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd. He shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young. The Shepherd's work. the shepherd's love and care for his people and how he gently leads them on. So then there is much concerning Christ and the Gospel and the Church here in this 40th chapter. Well from verse 26 there is an exaltation to trust the Lord who is of great power and might without desponding. to trust the Lord who is of great power and might without desponding. Lift up your eyes on high. And behold, who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number? He calleth them all by names, by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power, not one faileth. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest? O Israel, my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God. One can be despondent, yet to look up and to trust the Lord. Now if we follow these verses through, we consider here that the people were despondent. Now there's two schools of thought here. Either at the present time or others believe that this particular part of the chapter is looking forward to a time when the people would find themselves in captivity and be despondent there. Where they were despondent, there was murmuring. That's implied in light of verse 27. Why sayest thou, Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God? You see, the people had concluded that God was taking no notice of them in their difficulty, and further would not come and help them. They knew what it was to suffer as the people of God. What was going to happen to them in their straits? Well, we note again, verse 27, it's a loving rebuke. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest? O Israel, my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God. They were despondent. Here comes the loving rebuke. And we do need these loving rebukes from the Lord. Well, to silence their despondency, but also their fears, Isaiah reminds them that God is of great power and might and gives power and strength to his people. Just read from verse 28. Hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary, There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might. He increaseth strength. Even the youth shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. Well, without any further introduction, come with me to verse 31, and just two things tonight. Firstly, waiting upon the Lord, and secondly, strength renewed. Now, just before we embark and look at this waiting upon the Lord, consider this is a promise. I was thinking of this earlier. It's a promise, dear brethren. And if you wait upon the Lord in time, You will know a little reviving. You will know strength renewed. Just focus upon that. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. You may be despondent at times, cast down, so very tired, exhausted, weary. We are but men and women, aren't we? Look to the Lord. He will, in time, fulfil his word, and you will be renewed. Your strength will be renewed. Well, let's consider, firstly, then, waiting upon the Lord. Now, just note the comparison from verse 30 to verse 31. Even the youth shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. In comparison to those young men who gloried and trusted in themselves, who would become faint and weary, the Lord gives strength to those who are found waiting upon him. Yes, we may find ourselves weary, but our eye is upon the Lord, not like those young men in verse 30 who were trusting in themselves, who would become weak. No, our eye is upon the Lord. We're waiting on Him and He will help us. But they that wait upon the Lord. As a child looks to their parent for food in order to be fed and gain strength, so we must look to our God, to our Heavenly Father for strength. I was hearing the other day of this great truth. We can do all things through Christ that strengthens us. But how often we are taught our own weakness and we must then look to the Lord and that it is in and through him we can go forward, being strengthened by him. We wait upon him. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. Well, there's three sub points here. First of all, the need. The need to wait upon the Lord. Secondly, the Lord. And in considering the Lord, surely we will be strengthened. And then thirdly, this waiting. Well, first of all, the need. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. Dear brethren, we know our need. And we know what we ought to do. We need to turn and wait upon the Lord. Why do we wait upon him? Because we are a needy people. We need him. Every hour we need thee, O Lord. Well, let's consider the need. Many were weary. There was murmuring. There was temptation. Has the Lord forgotten to be gracious? At times, dear brethren, we can feel so weak as we battle on in the valley of difficulty. One can experience inward fatigue, mental exhaustion. It's hard when we feel physically weak, but then it's another thing when we feel mental exhaustion. The trial can wear us down so heavily. It can be heavy upon the mind and one can know great pain and sorrow within. We've all been there, haven't we? We've been cast down and we know inward exhaustion. Psalm 6 verse 6, I am weary with my groaning. All the nights make I my bed to swim. I water my couch with my tears. We've all been there, haven't we? We may have kept back the tears in front of others, but in the night time, when no one else is watching except the Lord, we've watered our bed with tears. Just note those words again, I am weary with my groaning. Psalm 6 verse 6. We're groaning, we're crying to the Lord, we become even more exhausted, we're weary. I am weary with my groaning. One can be so burdened and grow despondent. One can be in a low spirit cast down. I find great comfort in the Psalms because the Psalms show us where we can find ourselves. And even the sweet Psalmist of Israel, who knew so much of the Lord, knew what it was to be cast down. And we can identify with him. Why am I cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? There's been times when God's servants have found themselves in such a state. You remember Elijah. He'd been so strong, valiant for truth. But on an occasion he found himself so despondent. 1 Kings 19, verse 3. And when he saw that, he arose and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree. And he requested for himself that he might die, and said, it is enough now, Lord. Take away my life. for I am not better than my fathers.' And he said, I have been very jealous of the Lord God of hosts, because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine orators, and slain thy prophets with the sword. And I, even I, only am left. And they seek my life to take it away. You see how very low he had got. Like the psalmist in Psalm 142, there's no one else. I only am left. He was dejected, cast down, depressed, fearless Elijah, now so very low in the circumstance. And there's a lesson for us there in Elijah. We can one day be so very strong and our eye can be so focused on the Lord like Peter when he was walking on the sea to go to him, go to the Lord. But then suddenly the next day, we can be so exhausted, so weak, strong one day. We think, yes, I'm looking to the Lord this week, my eyes on him. But the next morning, we can wake up and we can be so very low. Do not be surprised. Elijah knew what it was like. We can sink quick into the mire like Jeremiah or into the sea like Peter. We can look at the situation and begin to sink into the trough further. Low thoughts can take hold and like a fog come over the mind. We know what that's like. You can be looking to the Lord but then low thoughts can come. Doubts may arise. One can become pessimistic. What's going to happen? It is only going to get worse. One can question, is the Lord going to help me through this situation? Yes, we know the promises. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of them all. We know the truth of it. But one can reason, is the Lord going to help me through this situation? You remember Asaph, God is good to Israel. He blesses the people of God. But as for me, his faith was greatly shaken. And it can happen. Is the Lord really blessing me? Will the Lord really help me through? Turn to Psalm 77, verse 7 through to verse 9. These are amazing words. Will the Lord cast off forever? And will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy cling gone forever? Doth his promise fell forevermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercy's sealer? There's the psalmist. He pauses and thinks on that. He knows the Lord is gracious. He knows the Lord is merciful. But have God forgotten to be gracious to me in this situation? He's blessing others, but what about me? And you know how the devil couldn't come. And fire darts at us. What's going to happen? Surely things will just get worse. We can be so weary and faint, exhausted and tired. Listen to Spurgeon. Faintness of heart is a common infirmity. Even he who slew Goliath was subject to its attacks. Faintness of heart is a common infirmity. Even he who slew Goliath was subject to its attacks. The soul can be so troubled. Doubts like an army can move in and make their attack. We know our need to wait on the Lord. The Lord's servants, as they served him, can be distressed. They can be weary in the work, not of the work, but weary in it. They can know much mental exhaustion. And further, their hearts can sink as they consider certain things. And we always, we consider the situation in which we live, And the church today, the sea of compromise has come around us. Worldliness has flooded into the church. There's apathy abounding. There's little fruit it seems. One can struggle. I was talking to my brother-in-law last Thursday evening. He took a meeting in Hyde Street, representing the Missionary Society he serves. And he was saying this, it seems like the Lord is particularly working in the East, like China. The church is flourishing in Iran, even though there's great hardship. But what's happening to us in this country? We can struggle. What's happening? Are you struggling tonight in some situation? You know your need, you need to wait upon the Lord. When I was a little younger, I'm still young, when I was a little younger, I used to go on some long walks with my parents. And particularly my father, not so much my mother, but my father used to love doing these long walks. Not all fathers like that, but some fathers do. My father did. I used to struggle to keep up with my father. My legs felt heavy and I struggled. With a heavy heart, we can find ourselves struggling through life. Struggling with despondent thoughts. Struggling with tiredness. But then consider further, we can be despondent and struggle because of the faults of our own sin. Or because of our coldness. That can hit me at times. You know, in the winter times, you can sometimes go out the door and the cold hits you. Or sometimes the coldness of my heart hits me. Oh, we know our need to turn to the Lord and wait on him. Are you struggling? Oh, look to him. One of old wrote to his mother these words. Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Saviour, still our refuge. Take it to the Lord in prayer. We know our need. We don't need to question that tonight. We know our need, that we need to look to the Lord because of the situations we face. But let's consider briefly, secondly, the Lord, that they that wait upon the Lord, he's the source of life and he's the source of blessing. Don't look to yourself, look to the Lord. Note verse 26, lift up your eyes on high And behold, who have created these things, that bringeth out their hosts by number, he calleth them all by the names, by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power, not one faileth. Lift up your eyes. Dear brethren, lift them up. Consider the Lord. View him at this moment. What a great and glorious God we have, who is our covenant God. Lift up your eyes. I remember when I cycled to school on a number of occasions in the wintertime, I used to cycle looking down because the sun was in my eyes. I miss so much as I cycled looking down. You know, you can go on a walk and sometimes the children, they're looking down, they're looking down at the floor. Oh, the parent may come along and say, lift up your eyes, look around you, look at the view. Oh, we need to lift up our eyes. We're only human, sometimes we just look down. Lift up your eyes. And if you find yourself struggling to do that, ask the Lord to help you. I love those words in Psalm 61, verse 1. When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. You see, the Psalmist, he knew his own weakness. He knew he needed to get to the rock. He prays for help to get there. Don't be ashamed of that. Don't be ashamed before the Lord. Lord, I want to get to thee, thou art the rock, but help me there, because I know my own weakness. Lift up your eyes. Ask him to help you. Lift them up. Well, consider the works of creation in verse 26, and the Lord himself Just consider the Lord as you view creation and the wonderful power that was displayed in creation. Psalm 8 verse 3, when I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained. Now out in the country, like down at Ipsley, we have no street lamps, and I'm thankful for that. Because at nighttime, when there's no clouds, you can just look up and see all the stars. and you're reminded of the Lord. Oh, just lift up your eyes on high. Consider creation and consider the Lord. Oh, what power was manifested in creation. And then what power is seen today in the preservation of the world. How great God is. You know your need, you feel your weakness, turn to your great God who made this world. Consider providence, how he governs and orders all things. Daniel 4 verse 35, and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing, and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand or say unto him, what doest thou? Just consider providence. All things work together for God. We can be despondent. What's happening, Lord? Lift up your eyes on high. Consider your God who created this world. Consider your God of providence who performeth all things for you. Psalm 57 verse 2. Consider redemption. what power is displayed in redemption. Psalm 89 verse 19, Then thou speakest in vision to thy Holy One, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty. I have exhorted one chosen out of the people. The help we needed, we see there, was laid on one that is mighty. the Lord Jesus Christ, as we see in Isaiah 9, verse 6, all the help you needed in redemption, all the help you needed in life was laid on him. Lift up your eyes and consider him. Consider your Redeemer. He will see you through. Consider him. Just note verse 28. Hast thou not now? Hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. Just focus on the Lord there in that verse. What do we read? Fainteth not, neither is weary. We faint. My heart doth faint and fell, says the psalmist in Psalm 73. But not God. He fainteth not, neither is weary. It's underlined here. He fainteth not, in the Hebrew it speaks of to tire. He does not tire. Now just think of this. He's keeping us all here in this room. He's preserving us all. In his providence, he's governing and preserving, and he will see us all through our trials, and he will see us home to heaven. But not just us. All his people. Millions upon millions. He's keeping at this present time. He's preserving. And he does not become weary in doing. How great God is. He does not tire. And then we read these words. Neither is weary similar. At the root of the Hebrew word it means to gasp, to be exhausted. You may have been on a run or been doing some manual work and you begin to gasp, you're exhausted. Well, He does not, and we say it reverently. He does not become weak. He does not tire, nor does He become weak. The Creator of the ends of the earth, faint if not, neither is weary, not for one moment, dear brethren. He's able to help you then. He neither slumbers nor sleeps, as we see in Psalm 121. You can be assured then. He will renew your strength in time. He will see you through. Focus your eye on Him. Consider the Lord. Notice verse 29. He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. You feel faint with Him. You're so exhausted. You feel your weakness. He's a gracious God. He's a merciful heavenly Father. He will pick you up. He will help you on. He will strengthen you within. And you've all borne evidence of it, because you're here tonight, aren't you? You're being kept. You've come to another day. You've been through many trials. He gives you strength. We're further here. The waiting, we saw our need. We know our need. We face so much. We know we need to look to him. We consider the Lord. Let's consider now this waiting. But they that wait upon the Lord. Precious words, aren't they? They that wait upon the Lord. Dear brethren, we're so blessed when we're waiting. when we're waiting upon the Lord. The Hebrew word korva speaks of to look, to look expectantly, to patiently wait, to look, to look to the Lord. And so we need to exercise faith. If we're to be waiting, we need to exercise faith. You may say, my faith seems so small. But you still have faith. The Lord may look on, yes, He sees that your faith is small, you're struggling, but He sees faith and encourages you to look to Him, to wait. and to wait patiently. Precious words in Psalm 40 verse 1. To the chief musician of Psalm of David, I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me and heard my cry. I waited patiently for the Lord. Patiently. Follow their Christ example. If you go to Hebrews 10 in your own time, you'll see clearly that Psalm 40 is about Christ. Yes, we can consider David, but we particularly consider Christ. I waited patiently. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He went through the veil of tears, yet he waited patiently. Be Christ-like. I waited patiently. And it's a blessing to do so. And it's a blessing to be able to echo those words. I waited patiently for the Lord. I was struggling, but the Lord helped me to focus on him and he gave me that strength to wait patiently. It's my testimony. Wait for the Lord. One of old Reverend John Brown of Haddington wrote of this waiting, our patient and earnest looking to him as a saviour for deliverance and comfort. Earnestly look. You may be struggling, you're so weary, but look to Him. Earnestly look. You may be cast down, weary, wait upon the Lord. Look to Him. The Psalmist in Psalm 130, though he was still in the depths, was being lifted a little. He's still in the depths, but he's being lifted. He's not right down at the bottom now. He's being lifted, and he waits upon the Lord. Psalm 130, verse 5, I wait for the Lord, my sword of weight, and in his word do I hope. you see he's being strengthened to begin with he just looks but then he's being strengthened you know how it is you'll help just to look but then you're strengthened and you're looking more you're like a little child your eyes are open wide open and you're looking I wait for the Lord, and my soul doth wait. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. I say more than they that watch for the morning. Oh, wait on Him. Look to Him. It may be Providence has not yet opened the door of deliverance, but still wait. It may be Providence has not yet opened the door of deliverance, but still wait, the door will be opened. Psalm 27 verse 13, I had fainted unless I believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen mine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. The Lord is saying it to you and me tonight. Wait. Look to me. Well, as we draw to a close, secondly, strength renewed. Now just focus on this again. It's a promise. Let's believe this promise. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. One may be going a long time in the trial, Great sorrow in their heart daily, Psalm 13. But deliverance will come. Strength will be renewed for those who are so struggling. And their trial will last to the end of their life. What a renewing of strength when they leave this world and are found in the presence of Christ. Well, let's, in conclusion, just consider this briefly. Strength renewed. Verse 29, he giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increases strength. He giveth Blessed are those times when we feel our soul being lifted. We're able to focus. We're able to go on. Note these words, but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. Let's look at this Hebrew word, renew. At the root of it, it speaks of to change, or the Hebrew word translated is renew. At the root, it speaks to change, to grow, to sprout. Strength grows within. One becomes a little stronger. There's activity. One can be so despondent, so weary, but then through the help of the Holy Spirit, there's this activity within, and one finds themselves strengthened. They're able to look to the Lord. They're able to grasp the promises. They're able to go on. There's a renewing. The fog of despondency is lifted. You know, sometimes, November time particularly, you wake up and there's fog. But then a little later, the sun burns off the fog and the fog lifts. Precious are those times when our beloved Saviour, the Son of God, through His Spirit, causes the fog to lift. the fog of despondency. There's that renewing within. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. It's a promise. You may be weary, the Lord will help you. They shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. They're finding it hard going, but then they're strengthened to go on. And there's a little new skip in their walk. Note these words, they shall renew their strength. And it's seeing they shall mount up with wings as eagles. There's a swiftness now. They look into the light. Or we could put it like this, they go quickly to God and they go forward. One's affections are set on things above, In despondency one can be very low, looking around and looking down, but now they shall mount up with wings as eagles, their affections are set on things above, they're looking to the Lord. Faith is a little stronger. And note these words, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. They shall run and not be weary. When I was at school, Tesswood School, Pastor Yates would know that school, used to do cross country. I used to go out front of all the others. But then after a while, silly me, I used all my energy up and I began to become very weary. I'd slow down, I'd start walking, and everybody else every time would run past me. I slowed down. But we see the difference here. The Lord helping. One's able to run and not be weary. And they shall walk and not faint. There's a going forward. And blessed it is when we find that going forward in our souls. And there's that swiftness as we see in Psalm 63 verse 8. My soul followeth hard after thee, thy right hand uphold of me. You see there the swiftness in the soul? At times my soul seems so slow. But oh, blessed are those times when there's that swiftness. My soul followeth hard after thee. That's how we want it more often, isn't it? They shall run and not be weary. There's the Christian race. They're running the Christian race to help to run it with a quicker pace, laying aside the sin and that which doth so easily beset them. And then there's the running the way of God's commandments. I will run the way of thy commandments, Psalm 119, verse 32, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. The enlarging of the heart, the strengthening within, the running of the way of God's commandments. They shall walk, we're told, and not faint at the conclusion of the verse. There's this walking close to the Lord, and in this ways, a pressing forward. Consider walking. on in the valley of difficulty they're not at the end of the valley yet but they've been despondent but the lord has strengthened and they're walking he will quicken and he will quicken us in closing note those words in psalm 80 in verse 18 so will not we go back from thee quicken us and we will call upon thy name it's a lovely word isn't it quicken Blessed are those times when the Lord quickens us. He will shine on us. He will quicken us. He will strengthen us. Dear child of God, you will get there. You will get through your trials. even if one of your trials is for the rest of your life you will get there yes at times you may know again and again what it is to be weak and weary but he will come and help you you will get there oh wait for him do you feel there's an obstacle in your way wait for the lord wait upon him but they that wait upon the lord shall renew their strength We have a journey before us that leads home. Keep looking to your heavenly father. Wait upon him. There was once a grandfather who was taking a hike with his six-year-old grandson. The child was running ahead and came to a creek. Afraid that he was going to fall in, the grandfather said, child, wait for me and I'll get you across. Surprisingly, the child obeyed. And when the grandfather got there, he lifted the child upon his shoulders and waded across the creek. The grandchild said, if I hadn't waited on you, I would never have made it across. Dear brethren, wait on the Lord. He will see you through. Take hold of this promise tonight, and may the Holy Spirit so impress it in our hearts. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. Dear brethren, in light of this wonderful promise, be in expectation. The Lord will keep his word, and the Lord will help you. Amen. Let us pray. O gracious God, we know our need. Thou knowest our need altogether. Lord, Thou has exalted us through Thy word tonight to wait on Thee. Lord, help us to wait on Thee. We are but men and women. Our hearts faint and fail. We can grow despondent. We can be cast down like the psalmist. We can know that fog of despondency like a veil over our minds. Lord, help us to wait on thee. And we would say it carefully, but we would remind thee tonight of thy promise that thou would renew us. And Lord, we look to Thee in expectation. When in the valley and we are cast down, do not leave us too long. Come and strengthen us, we pray. Help us to go running. Help us to go walking through the valleys of difficulty, looking unto Jesus, who is the offer and finisher of our faith. Help us, O God. O Lord, we are so blessed that we have Thee to turn to. And O may we know the comfort, but also the delight of waiting upon Thee. Lord, forgive us our many sins. Help us, O Lord, and have all the glory for Christ's sake. Amen.