“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 40:31
It was my first visit home,
my first year of university.
I was tired. First year
is hard.
I sat in church.
Maybe I was comforted by the familiar.
More likely
I was comparing it with my fresh, new
experiences of worship in the university chapel.
Then out of the customary, came
words that dropped right into my heart
so true were they for me.
Isaiah 40:31.
It was the first time words of scripture
leaped their bounden page
arriving in my heart with liveliness and comfort.
I was renewed
like an eagle plunging into deep waters and rising
into strength, stillness
and beauty.
Written in at least three voices over many generations,
the Isaiahs of this first book of the Major Prophets
are united in a common urging toward hope.
The eagle, commonplace in the land,
is an ancient symbol of protection,
of refuge, the sheltering love of God,
and promise
“And I will raise you up on eagle’s wings.”
Isaiah takes the image further.
“But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
They spread their wings and soar like eagles.” (The Message Bible)
I returned to university with
wings of my own.
And a deeper awareness of how
ancient words of scripture fall deep into a new heart.
How might you describe your relationship with scripture? Are there verses you savour? When have words of scripture come alive just when you needed them?
Isaiah speaks of strength renewed in the waiting. What does “waiting” feel like for you right now? Where might renewal be quietly forming?
The image of the eagle speaks of strength, stillness, and life. Spend time at a window or while out for a walk noticing the soaring of birds? Let your heart rise. You might want to embody soaring as a body prayer.
Psalm 139 has always been “my” text. To be so wondrously made. To be so intimately known. To be loved so deeply!
Psalm 40.1-3 are a rock for me “… He lifted me up out of the pit, set my feet upon a rock, put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God …”
Psalm 68.6 is awesome too – God sets the solitary in families … Amen
And Isaiah 49.15 “… though a mother may forget her nursing child, God will never leave us or forsake us … we are inscribed on the palms of His hands …”
Wow! What love and closeness. Rejoice! Leap and praise the Lord!
Watching birds soar and fly and navigate is cool and amazing. Listening to them sing is like another glorious world …