“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 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)
I returned to university with
wings of my own.
Hope is such a great thought! It keeps you keeping on toward the goal. Sometimes the situations we are confronted with seem to difficult. But hope gives you strength to get to a good place and then you being to Praise God.
I imagine Rev. Donald Sutherland spoke those words that day?
Yes, indeed. “You got to have hope.”