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28 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)

In Isa ch.40 God begins to show mercy and to comfort the Israelites. What is behind His powerful words, however, is a hidden tension, which is the doubt of the readers. The text does not mention it obviously. Yet, we can see it through a repeating rhetorical question in this chapter: Do you not know? Have you not heard?

Last week I was reading an article written by a famous local pastor on the pandemic situation in Vancouver. He mentioned a lot on Christian’s witness in difficult time, and I believe you are all very familiar with this kind of teaching. Yet, when he came to talk about how he would look at the whole thing from a spiritual perspective, he quoted Rom 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” What came to my mind immediately was doubt. Is this how God wants us to view this disaster? Should we not talk less about “good” in suffering? Why is there no such a voice in my heart?

Yet, when I have a quiet moment this week and rethink this verse, I find the hopefulness in it! To due with the emergent situation, I have been having meetings and considering details. When all these occupy my mind, I find a shadow on my heart, which is to simply hear what God says and simply know what he promises. My doubt is how the shadow of current situation covers on my spirituality.

Thanks be to God, for he says, He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. We need physical strength to take our responsibility every day. We also need spiritual strength to trust the hope that God grants us. By this strength we will know that in all things, even in the current pandemic situation, God works for the good of those who love him.