For whatever reason, it seems Deb and I spent more on Valentine’s Day for each other this year than usual. Deb bought me a beautiful figurine of an eagle with the words from Isaiah:
Those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles
Deb naturally knows me better than anyone else in the world. She knows that oftentimes, especially before ministry opportunities, but oddly enough I think more and more, I have a great sense of weakness and emptiness in and of myself. She said something like, “That will be a reminder for you when you are down.” Meaning a reminder of what I’m to do in faith.
Our Pastor Jack recently reminded us of our need to wait on the Lord, from this very passage. Yes, I like the word “wait” instead of “hope” myself, though both are accurate translations. Sometimes I think I rather give in to despair, instead of really looking to God in hope, in hopeful expectation, and then waiting on him.
What is the difference between those who are said to prevail with God, and the rest of us who don’t, at least not as much? I think in large part the answer may lie right here. We don’t renew our strength, because we don’t wait on the Lord.
Paradoxically, as we see so clearly in the Apostle Paul’s testimony, God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. In the past I often failed to experience much of the Lord’s strength because I had plenty of my own. On the opposite end I’ve had times where God’s strength seemed to be poured out on me significantly, when I had no strength at all, and was going forward more out of faith or sheer obedience, than anything else. And even when it does seem that our ministry is weak, we’re in good company with Paul there, as well. God can still be at work in powerful ways. But I’ve had those times when everything seemed flat to me and to everyone else. Of course we trust that God worked even then, and is at work.
But I appreciate this reminder from my wife, and from the prophet Isaiah, in God’s word. Yes indeed, if I’m to renew my strength and soar like an eagle, so as to run and not grow weary, to walk and not be faint, I’m going to have to learn to regularly practice waiting on the Lord.
I think it’s good to have times alone with God. Jesus certainly did, and I don’t do enough of that. The rendering “hope” oddly can be encouraging to people like me who often are on the move, doing something, or on standby–occupied one way or another. We keep looking to God in the midst of all of life. Waiting on him, even as we go about our daily routines, fulfilling our responsibilities.
We wait on God according to his promise in Jesus to renew us, and indeed to renew all things. Together in Jesus we wait in hopeful expectation to see the beginning of that in the present, while we await through Jesus its completion when Jesus returns.
Ted M. Gossard
