Recently, as I read the beautiful Scripture from Isaiah 40:28-31, one particular word caught my attention:  YET!

Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
 Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

I’ve been mulling over this simple three letter word, and pondering the HOPE it offers…

The implication of “yet” is that of possibility – of something more to come – of optimism – of progress – of continuing…

God hasn’t answered this prayer…yet

That difficult relationship has not been mended…yet

I haven’t gotten to my goal weight…yet

She’s not healed from cancer…yet

We don’t have any answers…yet

They’re not out of debt…yet

The problem has not been solved…yet

Reading the above Scripture, combined with a conversation with a piano student really confirmed the importance of this tiny word.  Savannah was referring to some acquaintances noting, “They’re not believers YET.”  Although this middle school student was not trying to make some amazing statement, I was delighted by the faith and hope implied by her simple sentence.   The hopefulness, the expectation that in the future, those folks WILL choose to follow Jesus! It just hasn’t happened YET.

Many Scriptures use this word…

I John 3:2 – “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be…”

II Corinthians 4:8 – “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed.”

Phillippians 3:13 – “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Don’t give up my friends!  Whatever we’re dealing with…there’s a yet…

So hang in there!  Keep doing the right things!  Continue trusting God!

As the old bumper sticker says, “God isn’t finished with me (or you) yet!”

Blessings!