February 16, 2015

“Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

I have always wanted to ride on a hang glider. There is something about the experience of seeing the earth from the vantage of an eagle that intrigues me. It would be exhilarating to be able to soar, and swoop, and to glide upon the wind that pulls me toward such an experience. However, I am also not a fan of flying – my priorities lately are to keep my feet on the ground – so I doubt I will never get the opportunity to fly via the hang glider. But there is something else that can give me the same exhilaration – the same sense of soaring – and that is my relationship with G*d.

Isaiah is telling us that those who wait on the Lord shall have their strength renewed. The Greek word used for wait is to be rendered as “expectant waiting” – waiting with trust and hope. The same is true for those who are weak, feeble, guilty and helpless – and who put their trust in the Lord – they too shall be strengthened. Waiting for the Lord includes expecting that the Lord will renew, will respond, will restore. But, waiting does not mean sitting around and doing nothing. Waiting for the Lord includes using the means which the Lord has appointed for giving us the Lord’s blessing. For example, the farmer who waits upon the Lord should not expect that G*d will plow and sow his fields. To wait in this manner is to be disappointed – and to put the Lord to the test.

And those who wait shall have their strength renewed. What strength will be renewed? Will we all become body builders with enormous physical strength? No. What will be renewed will be what has been sapped – and what becomes weak so often is our faith. For Isaiah, the people would have been waiting in captivity – in Babylon. Their faith would have taken such a hit having lost their place of worship, their land, and their way of life. But in waiting with expectation that G*d will reverse their situation, and trusting that G*d will win the day, would give them renewed strength – renewed faith in the Lord. And then, they shall mount up with wings like eagles. The intent of this phrase is they shall “put forth fresh feathers like the mounting eagle.” In the commentary I read on this passage it stated that “it was a common and popular opinion of the ancients that the eagle lived to an old age, and molts in his old age, and renews his feathers, and with them his youth”. Whatever the source, the image still gives us hope – that those who wait upon the Lord are born aloft on wings of faith and hope.

So what do we take away today that gives us fresh strength to face the day? Well, what are you waiting upon the Lord for this week? I know there is something you have been waiting for, hoping for, praying upon. Remember, the Lord hears every prayer. Our relationship with G*d is built upon the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Our waiting includes “patient expectation” – patiently expecting that the Lord will respond – the Lord will act – the Lord will give us strength to face everything that comes our way. When we have the patience and the faith to wait in hope and trust, all formed through prayer and G*d’s word, then each day our faith will be restored, and we will have the strength to soar, over, through and within whatever comes our way.

Pastor Dave