"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. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength... 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
Who hasn’t dreamed of flying like an eagle, high above all of the dangers on earth below, high above all of our worries and concerns? Our God invites us to think like eagles in our waking hours. Let us listen to His words that challenge us to let Him lift us high, soaring as on the wings of eagles.
In Isaiah 40:28-31, God is prophesying to the remnant who would be languishing in Babylonian captivity for 70 turbulent years. The prophet Isaiah had predicted about 150 years before the captivity, that the remnant would return home to restore and rebuild the Jewish nation. They would soar on the heights of joy in anticipation of the long-awaited journey home. Their journey was going to be long, difficult, and dangerous before they could finally see their homeland again, for it was a journey of about 600 miles on foot. Their efforts traveling that road were going to be hard even to their strong and vigorous youths. Yet God promised them that they could trust in Him alone, rise above the journey's many obstacles and soar on the wings of faith.
Although our faith may grow tired and our hope dim, we must trust in God to help us not become weary or feel defeated. Our faith will help us to look up to God and His Word for guidance and hope.
"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him" (Heb. 11:6).
Our God dwells above the clouds where the sun is always shining, in the calm light of eternity. He can lift us up above our shadows and sorrows with His joyous Light. Our steadfast faith will help us reach our home (Romans 10:17).
I. HOW TO SOAR LIKE AN EAGLE WITH GOD:
God knows our needs even before we make them known to Him. He has promised to answer our fervent prayers when we ask Him. As the eagle takes its young and places them on its back, so our God carries us. He has promised those who wait on Him to renew their strength, mount up with wings like eagles, to run, and to never be weary, to walk and not faint.
“Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. 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” (Isaiah 40:30-31).
The conclusion of chapter 40 is one of the most encouraging Scriptures in the Old Testament. Consider some important points from these verses.
- God Reminds Us of Our Need for Him By Humbling Us:
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10).
Just as lift results from air pressure changes, God lifts us by changing our perspective in the storm, and reversing the dynamics of our circumstances for good. We must trust in God who is all-powerful and greater, rather than allow the pressures of our problems to crush us. With God on our side, His love and strength, we can renew our hope and courage, rising up even when everything seems so hopeless and dark. We must be humble to allow God to sustain us.
“Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me” (Psalm 54:4).
In the same way that an eagle needs the assistance of air currents and winds to maintain altitude, we need God’s help to continue soaring His heights. With the wind of His Spirit in us and the warmth of His love surrounding us, we can rise above everything and soar the heights with Him. In times of war, the young soldier must use his physical strength to win. He will have to face times of disappointment, heartache, faint-heartedness, fear, and temptation. Will he arise or soar to the challenge of his faith? And though at times we, like the soldier, feel as if God has abandoned us, we must still put on the armor that He provides to win our spiritual battle (Eph. 6:10-17).
As long as we depend on our own knowledge and strength, we will be flapping just to stay on top of things. Instead of scraping, scrambling, and struggling, Christians have the blessing of flying high with our God. God wants to release us from our struggles, something that unbelievers cannot have. Jesus urges us saying,
“Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?’ For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek’” (Matthew 6:31-32).
The unbelievers are always exhausted and frustrated! In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus said that things such as worry, anxiety, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things will be detrimental to our spiritual growth (Mark 4:19). Yet men often forget that those things that affect their spiritual growth will also affect their physical and emotional health as well. Worry, fear, doubt, and sin, in general, will take their toll. But God’s children will find spiritual strength, enthusiasm, optimism, and joy to endure.
- We Must Acknowledge That God Is All-Powerful:
The Lord is the everlasting God, for He is not bound by time. We live for right now. But God does not. He will do His work as He sees fit when it is convenient for Him. Thus, we are in no position to argue or counsel God, for He is the everlasting and all-mighty One! God gives power to the weak and faint. The weak and faint are those in verse 27 who think that God does not see or care about their circumstances. And though Israel was going into exile, God still cared deeply for them and their circumstances. God acted on their behalf, and He cares for us as well. Human strength is not the power we need, for human strength fails and becomes weak. But God does not get weary or weak!
- God Has Promised to Give us Strength and Help Us:
Our faith is like flight for an eagle, for it is essential to survive and thrive. The Word of God teaches us that those who hope in the Lord will soar on wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31). For us, this is more than a promise of strength and renewal, it is a testimony of God’s compassion and love for us. He is a mighty God who knows our names and will never forsake us. Thus, we must wait upon Him in prayer and in meditation on His Word!
We find a beautiful promise in verse 31.
“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”
We are called to wait upon the promises of God to be fulfilled. We must wait for the LORD to accomplish His purposes. This is how our strength is renewed. God will do as He has said, for He has the power to fulfill His purpose. Nothing can stop Him. So we must wait for the LORD to find the strength to soar on wings like eagles and run and not be weary or grow faint. We must find our strength and hope in the LORD so that we do not grow weary. God’s understanding is limitless!
We must live by His promises and submit to Him in faith rather than trying to figure God out. God can only give strength to those who wait for Him to fulfill His promises. Waiting is what faith does until God’s answer arrives!
When we are committed to following God and doing what He says to do, we “shall mount up with wings like an eagle.” Those who wait on the LORD shall be made new and strengthened in their spiritual life. They will be able to not only endure but to do greater things for the LORD, which will provide more meaning for their life. Although the eagles can soar for long periods of time, they still need to rest to be able to soar again. This is a parallel thought to waiting on the LORD.
We must find rest in the LORD to be renewed and strengthened to mount up and soar again. Eagles take time to preen their feathers while they’re perched and resting. They need to make sure that all the feathers on their wings are in place and ready to go at any moment. God wants us to run or soar like an eagle and not grow weary. With God’s help and strength, we can soar with the wings of an eagle to new levels!
CONCLUSION:
God’s care for His creation is amazing! Take for instance, His care for the birds and His clothing of the lily as described in the Sermon on the Mount. In that sermon, Jesus spoke of God’s care for the birds who don’t sow and reap, yet God is still very much involved in their lives. God has shown us all this to help us understand Him and His providential care for us. Just take a look at the eagles that God created. In Proverbs 30:19, we are told that there are things which surpass our ability to comprehend. One of those things mentioned is the way of an eagle in the air.
Imagine how men have watched birds soaring in the air for thousands of years, yet man began to fly just a hundred years ago. Isn’t the majesty of the eagle remarkable! Isn’t Isaiah 40:28-31 a refreshing thought for us! When I contemplate the power that we have as His children, it is mind-blowing to me! Although we might grow weary, God never does. What a powerful truth! God is all-powerful, and He never gets tired. He never gives up on delivering the righteous or punishing the wicked! Nothing can stop His purposes. “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" (Romans 11:33). God cannot be out-argued or out-planned. There is no room for loopholes!
We can soar above our problems and be content because we know that there is much more to life than the things of this world (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). We can soar because we know that God is behind the scenes working for us, for He has the power to turn any hardship or adversity into success (Romans 8:28). We can soar because we know that the trials that we have to endure will only bring stronger character and refine our faith. Our future lies on the other side of any trial! (Romans 5:3-5). We soar the heights of God because we know that God is in control, and we can depend on Him completely. We don’t need to depend on our own cleverness and wisdom. We can soar with God because His goodness and mercy follow us (Psalm 23:6). We can soar confidently because we know that our past sins have been forgiven and don’t have the power to take all our joy (Psalm 103:3-5). We can soar high because with God on our side, nothing is as bad and hopeless as it might seem (Romans 11:2-5). We can soar because we know that God is looking out for us and protecting us (Romans 8:31).
So, we must wait on the LORD and rest in the LORD. We need to walk in the Spirit to soar with Him. We are not in this journey alone, for we have the church who are all on the same quest. So let's run together so that we can mount up on wings like eagles and serve God faithfully.
May we fellowship and work together to “consider how to stir up one another to love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24).
Luci
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