The LORD GOD has given Me
The tongue of the learned,
That I should know how to speak
A word in season to him who is weary.
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear
To hear as the learned. Isaiah 50:4 (NKJV)
The Sovereign LORD has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He awakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed. Isaiah 50:4 (NJV)
The original Hebrew reads, “…that I might know how to strengthen with a word the weary.” In the Gospels we see how our Lord had “a word in season to him who is weary”. He encouraged all who were weary to come to Him and rest. Matthew 11:28-29 records His very words:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29 (NIV)
Jesus had the right word to speak into every situation, a “well-instructed tongue”, and He has left us an example of how to minister to people who have grown weary. He wants us to have an instructed word to sustain those who have been beaten down by life through rejection, fear, disappointment and disillusionment. Do you know someone who needs a timely word of encouragement?
Ask God to help you to:
- speak the right word – a well-instructed tongue which knows the right a word to share;
- speak at the right time – in season (kairos);
- speak to the right person – to him who is weary.
Have you an ‘ear’ to hear a word for the weary? How do we get this word? Isaiah says, “He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.” Notice the words “morning by morning” – on a daily basis. This makes our lives so exciting. We simply have to listen like one being instructed.
I often think of the maid in Naaman’s household whose word in season led him to travel to Israel to receive his miraculous healing from leprosy.
Now bands … from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 2 Kings 5:2-3 (NJV)
How carefully she spoke it and yet with such assurance. Proverbs tells us:
A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season how good is it! Proverbs 15:23 (KJV)
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. Proverbs 25:11 (KJV)
A word of comfort to the weary can go a long way.