Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they 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 40:28-31 (NLT)
Recently this text got stuck in my head. Maybe because some days I feel so tired! Don’t we all? We run here and there, do this, do that. Our lists are never ending. Right? I kept thinking about the wings like eagles….what would that feel like? I dug into it a little and as usual, it’s beautiful. This may have to be one of the texts that I hang around the house so I can remember it.
God starts off asking them if they don’t remember what he’s done and how he has provided what they need in the past. Almost a little sarcastically really “Have you not heard?” Of course they heard! The stories of his rescue from Egypt were told over and over again. It’s who they were! But, it seems like they forgot. Glad we don’t do that.
Then he goes on to tell them (again) that he gives the power. When you are totally done, can’t take any more he will give you the strength that you need. He says that when we wait for the Lord, not go ahead and try to do it ourselves but wait for the Lord, we will get all the strength and power we need.
Another really cool thing is the word renew. It means to exchange (like a suit of clothes.) In other words, you have to take off what you are carrying around and put on what God has to give you.
When we do that, we will soar! We will take off and fly gliding on the winds, dipping and circling and soaring again! I can’t help but think if we allow God to be our strength, it will be a lot more fun than a never-ending “to do” list.