Agur: I Am Weary, But I Can Prevail My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. Psalm 119:28 With so many negative things happening in our society today, many people are just plain becoming weary. They are growing tired and faint from dealing with the virus, the economy, the issues around social justice and even dealing with everyday problems like school, jobs and finding enough food to eat. All of this is making people tired and weary. This is nothing new. If you look at the Bible, people there also got tired and weary. We often don't think of people like Moses, Jacob, Jonah, David or other men in the Bible as being like us. However, they also got tired of dealing with all their challenges. For example, when Moses was leading the Israelites in battle against the Amalekites, he grew tired. So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. Exodus 17:10-13 Moses grew tired and needed help holding up his hands. In this situation, Aaron and Hur were there and they helped hold his hands up. Another man who grew tired and faint at times was David. There are several verses in Psalms where David calls out to God because he is tired and faint. Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am faint; heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony. Psalm 6:2 From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. Psalm 61:2-3 For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm. I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted. I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint. You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. Psalm 77:1-4 When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way. In the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me. Look and see, there is no one at my right hand; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to you, LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Psalm 142:3-6 The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in the darkness like those long dead. So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed. I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land. Answer me quickly, LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. Psalm 143:3-7 Recognizing that even men like Moses and David grew tired means we should not be surprised when we grow weary. How then should we deal being weary? Let's examine a man from the Old Testament and how he dealt with this. His name is Agur. We don't know much about him other than what he wrote or compiled in Proverbs 30. He begins the chapter this way. The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance. This man's utterance to Ithiel: "I am weary, God, but I can prevail. Proverbs 30:1 He begins by honestly admitting that he is weary. There is nothing wrong with admitting you are weary. In fact, it's probably wise to recognize this rather than try to ignore it. However, right after saying this Agur says, "I can prevail." How can he say this? He was weary of all that was going on around him. He could say this because he was confident in the goodness of God. I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14 Even when we are tired and weary, we need to remain confident in God. We need to trust in what God will do. Sometimes this means we have to wait which is not easy when you are tired. But we need to remember... Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12 The next thing Agur said was that remembered who he was. He understood from where he was at that time, who he was. Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One. Proverbs 30:2-3 This doesn't sound like a very positive attitude to us today. However, it was his honest appraisal of himself and shows that he was a humble man. Humility is still important today. The apostle Paul with all the trials he went through always remained humble. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. Acts 20:19 While being humble is still important, we also cannot forget that as Christians we are the children of God. We may not understand all that entails but we can be confident in the fact that God loves us as his children. This alone should reassure us when we grow tired and weary. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12-13 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." Romans 8:14-15 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:1-2 The next important thing that Agur kept in mind was who God was. God has done great things and we need to remember that. Agur could remain confident because he knew that God was sovereign over all. Another interesting observation here is that Agur knew God had a son even though he didn't know his name. Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know! Proverbs 30:4 Agur was looking to the future and hoping for the son of God. We are looking back and seeing the risen Savior Jesus Christ who is our redeemer. "This is what the LORD says— Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come— yes, let them foretell what will come. Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one." Isaiah 44:6-8 Following along with Agur's message, the next important thing Agur referred to is God's word. "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. Proverbs 30:5-6 Agur knew that God's word was perfect. He knew that God could be trusted and be his shield. Today, we have all of God's word in the Bible.