Interjected Pasta...

In the last two weeks we have interjected a quick study of Isaiah 40:31. We will move on to a study of I and II Thessalonians beginning this Sunday. But for now, a few recap thoughts about Isaiah 40:31...

What a wonderful passage! It's not news, but this is a fabulous source of promise and hope! The scripture addresses especially those who are struggling at the moment, but it has application for all of us at all times.

We discussed how all of the promises in the passage are conditional- they all hinge on a choice made by the believer. The promises come to "those who hope in the Lord..." We discussed this but there is an important distinction here- this is not a "those who keep a positive attitude" or a "those who keep a smile on their face" kind of thing. (Nothing wrong with having a positive attitude or keeping a smile, but there is more to this...) This condition involves planting our aspirations and dreams for the future firmly in the hands of Jesus Christ. You can put your hope in the Lord in the middle of the worst thing you have ever experienced. You might not be smiling, but you have this conviction that things can and will be better- you KNOW if because He promised it. And that makes this hope different than any other hope in all eternity. It is sure. The Hebrew writer said it this way; "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."- Heb 6:19 (emphasis mine- I always wanted to write that!)

Having said all that, what are the promises? Isaiah sums them up by saying they "will renew their strength." I would venture to say that there is not a one of us who cannot identify with the need for renewal once in a while. Everyone needs time off, time away, vacation, rest, a change of pace... we don't have to get spiritually deep to understand the process of getting "weary" and needing rejuvenation. The beauty of this promise is that God promises that when we need it, times of renewal will come. When we grow weary, when new challenges present themselves, when disaster strikes, God provides the new strength needed to keep moving.

And that brings us to the details of this renewal spelled out in the passage. The scripture promises we will "soar on wings like eagles", "run and not grow weary", "walk and not be faint".

Sometimes the flow of life will be effortless- it will seem easy. We will be blessed with the perspective that comes from being "up high".

Sometimes we will just feel solid. We are running and we feel like we can keep running. We're not "soaring", but we're OK. We are blessed with the ability to keep going at a "good pace" and not feel tired. I would say that I spend most of my life here- running... doing OK... at least that is my own assessment. (God or my wife might tell me something different)

Sometimes the only thing we can muster is the next step. We don't really feel a direction or a plan. It is hard for us to see where everything is going. We just do not have the strength to do much but survive. Even then we are blessed with the promise that God will not let us just "pass out" and get "stuck". God will help us keep moving even if it is only one step at a time.

The promises found in Isaiah 40:31 cover the cycles of our lives. None of us are full time "soarers". None of us are full time "walkers." We are imperfect people of cycles. And we live with a God who is with us in the midst of all of it.

In class I shared the book "Zoom" by Istvan Banyai. If you are interested in the book you can see the author's website here and you can find the paperback version at Amazon here.

Just Keep Swimming...

Jon