Wings Like Eagles
The end of Isaiah 40 is a refreshing thought from the Word. For they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall soar upon wings as eagles. According to verse 8 of this chapter, The grass withers, the flowers fade but the Word of God abides forever. This message was for Israel, God’s chosen people. They continued the cycle of peace, blessing, victory and plenty. Then they would become complacent and intermarry with the heathen nations. When they turned their back on God, the Lord allowed their enemies to defeat them. When they returned back to God in their distress, God would have mercy on them. The cycle would continue. Israel became distracted by wealth, peace and prosperity. God would allow them to be defeated so that they could return back to him.
In the Old Testament, there were only a few examples of men of God who faithfully walked with God. Others continued in this cycle of prosperity, complacency, defeat, repentance, and renewal.
Despite the vicious cycles of our relationship with our Lord, God is still Sovreign overall. He numbered the stars of the heaven. According to Isaiah, the nation’s are nothing in his eternal perspective. Compared to the vastness of God’s creation, the question is “who am I Oh Lord, that thou art mindful of me?”
Most men are the centers of their own worlds. They become anxious and frustrated when their “rights” are violated. However, the scripture says, “humble thyself under the mighty hand of God and he will exalt you in due time.” Humility is the key to receiving anything from God. In times of scarcity, silence, and drought, these are the times God teaches us to abide with him and within him. He teaches us faithfulness through the lean times. As Mother Theresa said, “God works best with nothing.” We learn his mercy, grace, compassion and the meaning of humility when “we must decrease so that He may increase.”
Continuing in verse 29 of Isaiah 40, “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.”
The devil will tell us that God didn’t answer our prayer because he doesn’t care. He will also say that God is not powerful enough to accomplish it. He says, “God is beyond understanding so you might as well just give up.”
However every problem is inversely proportional to the power required to overcome it. How big is your God? He gives power to the weak and increases his strength when we we reach the end of our own limited ability. As the Apostle Paul said, Thy strength is made perfect in my weakness, thy grace is sufficient for me.”
The ultimate freedom is the ultimate surrender. Those who wait and trust and hope in the Lord shall renew their strength. Security is putting your faith and hope in that which cannot be taken away. Jesus said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” In times of adversity, you will understand what really matters. The question through adversity is “Lord, what are you teaching me through this trial?”
When Pete and Suzan lost their baby in the delivery room, they meditated on thoughts from the devotional “Come Away With Me.” The passage they read said, “when you acknowledge that you have no control over any situation in life, you must empty your own plans so that he can fill you with His purpose and His will. Adversity will make you an example of putting your trust in His Sovreign will.”
The conclusion is in Isaiah 40:31, “Therefore, they who wait upon 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.”
May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael