“‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.’ But you would not, and you said, ‘No, for we will flee on horses.’ – therefore you shall flee! And, ‘We will ride on swift horses!’…Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you.”Isaiah 30:15-18

God made it clear: He stands ready to help us. He is eager to give us strength and wisdom, to protect and guide us. But in order to receive these blessings, we must trust in Him. Instead, how often we find ourselves trusting in things and people—just as God’s people depended on “horses” here as a means of escape. God wants us to trust in Him completely. This means trusting Him so much that we can rest in Him and not worry about anything. We don’t need to prove anything. We simply can rest in Him. We don’t need to run and hide, worry or be afraid. Instead, we can be confident in God, knowing that He is faithful and trustworthy. The Hebrew word translated “confidence” is used here for the only time in the Bible. It is a word that expresses a sense of resignation—as if we have run out of options, and there’s nothing more that can be done. God is telling us we can be confident in Him. In reality, we have no other choice. All our own efforts have failed. Nothing else really works! God waits until we have exhausted ourselves, tired of running and tired of worldly cures that don’t last. He wants us to give up. To rest in Him. To focus on Him, confident that He will restore us and provide for us. Brothers & Sisters in your life, you have a choice to make. You can run after the “horses” in the world or trust in God. Make the right choice! Don’t run, and don’t chase false promises. Return to God. Rest in Him. Be confident in Him, knowing He will save you, provide for you, and be your strength.