Blessings of Summer

Yesterday we considered the idea of overcoming fear in the words of General George Patton; “Courage is fear holding on a minute longer.” Isaiah 40:31 puts it this way,  “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 has just pronounced in Chapter 39 that the Babylonians would invade Jerusalem, leading to a period of captivity for God’s people. This was a frightening prospect, especially following all the messages of judgement and condemnation Isaiah had already brought to the nations. God’s faithful needed reassurance, and He graciously shifts the tone of Isaiah’s words to encourage them. Starting in Chapter 40, poetic and prophetic words tell of the comfort, forgiveness and incredible blessings God has in store for those who love and obey Him.

The ability to calm your soul and wait before God is one of the most difficult things in the Christian life. By our nature we are restless; the world around us is frantically in a hurry. But a restless heart usually leads to a reckless life.

Most of us tend to think that happiness is just around the corner. JOY will come one of these days--when things get better...when we finally get ……. We live with the allusion that joy will come someday when conditions change. But the truth is that if we are going to know joy it will be today.

Here's how one preacher put it:

"I tend to divide my minutes into two categories: living and waiting to live. Most of my life is spent in transit: trying to get somewhere, waiting to begin, driving someplace, standing in line, waiting for a meeting to end, trying to get a task completed, worrying about something bad that might happen, or being angry about something that did happen. These are all moments when I am not likely to be fully present, not to be aware of the voice and purpose of God." 

O Lord, you have indeed carried me on your wings.

By your mercy, you have delivered me from sin and death.

You have set me free from their bondage.

Once I was a slave, but now I am free to be your servant.

Thank you, Lord.

Even as I seek to live faithfully as a child of the new covenant,

help me to live each day by grace.

May I continue to ride on your wings

as you guide and empower me to serve you in every aspect of my life.

All praise be to you, gracious Lord,

because you carry me on your wings.

 Alleluia! Amen.