January 21, 2026 Devo

When our boys were young, we took a 5-week, cross-country trip with them in our van. We traveled all the way from Pennsylvania to California and back again. My wife is the consummate tourist, so we visited every known (and unknown) site along the way, including every Spanish mission in San Antonio, Texas. In case you don’t know, there are FIVE. Though most days weren’t too bad as far as driving hours, some were a bit brutal with nothing in between. As you can imagine, in a pre-technology time, we worked hard to keep our boys occupied on the road. But even with all our creativity, there were days the boys got restless and tired of the journey. That’s when we would hear those famous words, “Are we THERE yet?”
I thought about that trip as I read Isaiah’s words today. He had the same question for God about the journey HE was going to be on with his people. “How long will this go on?” Isaiah didn’t even wait until the trip got long. He was asking God on the front end!
It seems like I’ve heard that question a lot lately. We forget that God has a different understanding of time than we do. When you’re eternal, time is irrelevant. We also forget that God has His own sense of timing. He has plans He is trying to accomplish. He has purposes that are at work. He has lessons that He is trying to teach us. And there are often more people in the picture than just us. When God finally did answer Isaiah, His answer was not the one Isaiah really wanted to hear. The road was going to be long, difficult, and painful. In the end, God would use it for good. But it would feel like FOREVER for Isaiah and his people.
Maybe that’s where some of us are today. We’ve been suffering for a while, and we’re ready to be done. Or maybe we’ve been waiting for God to open a door, and it seems as if it’s never going to open. Or perhaps we’re still holding onto a promise we feel God has made to us, and we’re wondering when He’s going to get around to fulfilling it. “Lord, how long will this go on?” God’s response? “As long as it takes.” So buckle up, keep yourself busy, and trust the God who is behind the wheel. He knows where you’re going, and He knows what He’s doing. He’ll let you know when you’re “there.” That’s God’s Word for you today.