Isaiah 40:31 - Are You Soaring Or Striving?
Isaiah 40:31: Are You Soaring Or Striving?
Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV) But those who wait on 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.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Don't you love the way today's Scripture describes eagles and
the way they soar? Author Ben Patterson once wrote, "As birds go,
eagles' wings are big, but the muscles that make them flap aren't. Pound
for pound, an eagle's strength is no match for the strength of a
hummingbird. The strength of eagles is not in their flapping but in their
soaring." An eagle will perch on the edge of a canyon and then cast itself
down into the abyss. With wings outstretched, it will then find the
warm updraft from the depths below - an updraft on which it will
circle and soar until it rises far above the canyon's rim. In today's
Scripture, the prophet Isaiah says that those who trust in the Lord will
soar on eagles' wings. May we Christians be known, not for all our
frantic flapping, but for casting ourselves into the unknown and soaring
upward on the wings of the Spirit.
Father God, I've done enough frantic flapping for a lifetime
- trying so hard to do Your will and make things happen in my own
strength and energy. How foolish I have been! I know I need to cast
myself on You in faith before I will find those beautiful updrafts that
lift me higher and higher. [A Spectacle of Glory by Joni Eareckson
Tada and Larry Libby]
COMMENTARY
The Hebrew slaves waited for generations for deliverance from
their Egyptian taskmasters The faithful children of Israel waited
even longer for the Messiah You are undoubtedly waiting on the
Lord to answer a yet-unanswered prayer And all of us are waiting
for Jesus' second coming as the glorious Victor over sin and
death... Waiting on the Lord is an act of faith. After all, when
circumstances bear down on us, were tempted to grow impatient and orchestrate
our own relief effort. Yet sometimes there really is nothing we can
do. But God is at work in us as well as in our circumstances as we
wait. He is concerned about the people we become as we wait on Him.
If you tenaciously trust the Lord, He will renew your spirit
and strengthen you for any challenge.
This comforting truth God shared with the children of Israel
is for you as well because their God is your God.
So wait in peace. [Being Still With God Every Day by Henry
Blackaby]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
I am able to do far beyond all that you ask or imagine. Come
to Me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to
what I can accomplish. Ask My Spirit to control your mind, so that
you can think great thoughts of Me. Do not be discouraged by the
fact that many of your prayers are yet unanswered. Time is a trainer,
teaching you to wait upon Me, to trust Me in the dark. The more extreme
your circumstances, the more likely you are to see My Power and Glory
at work in the situation. Instead of letting difficulties draw you
into worrying, try to view them as setting the scene for My glorious
intervention. Keep your eyes and your mind wide open to all that I am doing in
your life.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we
ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to
him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all
generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Rom. 8:6; Isa. 40:30-31; Rev. 5:13)
[Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
Meet Me in early morning splendor. I eagerly await you here.
In the stillness of this holy time with Me, I renew your strength
and saturate you with Peace. While others turn over for extra sleep
or anxiously tune in to the latest news, you commune with the
Creator of the universe. I have awakened in your heart strong desire to
know Me. This longing originated in Me, though it now burns brightly
in you.
When you seek My Face in response to My Love-call, both of us
are blessed. This is a deep mystery, designed more for your
enjoyment than for your understanding. I am not a dour God who discourages
pleasure. I delight in your enjoyment of everything that is true, noble,
right, pure, lovely, admirable. Think on these things, and My Light in
you will shine brighter day by day. (Isa. 40:31; 27:4; Phi. 4:8)
[Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
http://www.abible.com/devotions/1997/19970924-0000.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2003/20030110-1048.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2005/20050404-0928.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2010/20100307-1117.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2011/20110922-1119.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES AND SEMINARS
Restoring The Power by John Bradshaw:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRogO1SxoZN15Boa7BMon4BouVMdteVaq
Prophecies Decoded Sermon Series:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/
ABible.com: http://www.aBible.com
