Yesterday morning just after daylight I was standing outside the resort’s magnificent Gathering Hall talking to a couple of customers when a majestic bald eagle came flying over our heads heading for Honey Lake. It was a beautiful sight to see this powerful looking bird soaring through the trees with the glorious sun shining through them as though huge spot lights of reddish yellow and orange light were being beamed through the forest and being reflected off the golden stands of waist high sage grass as though guiding the fierce bird through the forest with a beautiful God given map.
This breathtaking sight made me think of the Bible verse, in Isaiah 40:31 “But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”
Last night I was humbled and deeply moved as I spoke to a church group of 18 individuals that came to Honey Lake all of the way from Mississippi by bus to hear me offer my testimony. I’m always fresh in the mornings, but begin to wane in the evenings and after an especially difficult day yesterday was pooped. My wife and I were eating dinner in the Whispering Pines Restaurant with a very good friend and his son who’d come to the resort for a few days to enjoy some fishing and quail hunting.
After I ate a salad I excused myself and told them I’d be back in a little while after speaking to this group, (that was an hour late in getting there). When I arrived in their ball room I noticed that they were all in their advanced golden years and to a person looked tuckered out after the long bus ride from Mississippi. I could not help but notice that in spite of being worn out, they were an enthusiastic bunch and that vigor combined with my remembrance of this Bible verse gave me renewed strength too. I offered my testimony to them and after I’d finished, to the person they came up to me and thanked me profusely.
After I finished I returned to my friends just in time to share some apple cobbler and ice cream and enjoy some more “catching up” on what had been happening since our last visit together.
This morning I woke up tired and immediately I thought about the Isaiah Bible verse. It states that those who trust in the Lord will “Find new strength”. Literally when this verse is translated it means: “Run and not grow weary” – “Walk and not faint”.
Now that sounds pretty good to this old tired guy as I enter yet another exciting day, but what must I do to receive this energy and strength? One translation states “wait” on the Lord, another states, “trust” in the Lord, and another, “hope” in the Lord.
Hmmm…Wait on, trust in, and hope in (the Lord).
According to the famous Bible expositor Barnes, the word used in this verse more accurately means to wait, in the sense of expecting instead of lollygagging around. The phrase, ‘to wait on God’, means to wait for his help; that is, to trust in him, to put our hope or confidence in him.
Wait, trust, hope – It’s magical.
In Isaiah’s day he was writing this encouragement to those who were suffering a long and grievous captivity in Babylon, and who had no prospect of deliverance aside from God; however the phrase is applicable to all of us who feel that we are weak, feeble, guilty, and helpless in our own chaotic age of stress and turmoil.
Hmmm…It seems that the solution to our problem is indeed to have faith and trust in our God and the promise or assurance in this verse is as applicable to God’s people today as it was in the times of the captivity in Babylon.
This does not mean however; that we are to sit around on our duffs waiting on God. It does not imply inactivity, or lack of personal exertion; it implies merely that our hope of aid and salvation is in Him.
For example if a farmer elects to sit around waiting for God to plow and sow his fields, he would not only be disappointed, but would probably make God a wee bit perturbed because he’s so lazy. So much for the welfare state…
Yo, our great and all mighty narcissistic Mr. prez, are you listening?
We must go forth full steam, but with the realization that if we attempt to fly solo, (in our own strength), we shall grow weary, faint, and utterly fall; but having our hearts and our hopes in heaven, we shall be carried above all difficulties, and be enabled to claim the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus.
God said in Exodus 19:4 “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself”. He brought His people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and led them into the promised land. He did the same with His grace, when Christ came in humility and took the form of a servant and became obedient unto death at the Cross.
Rejoice in this and be glad in it…And be glad in it…
I’m glad I saw that regal eagle yesterday. I see God everywhere I look at Honey Lake and most everywhere else that I go too, and it’s comforting and renewing. I truly wish everyone could relate the things that happen in their lives to God and His Holy Bible the way I do. It all makes so much sense to me, (and I hope to you).
2 Cor. 4:16
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.