Second Week of Advent - Wednesday

Today's headlines constantly refer to the fossil fuels provide to us by the Earth upon which we live. Whether it be coal from Pennsylvania and West Virginia, oil from Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico or the numerous natural gas fields found far and wide, it is where we get our strength to carry out our daily activities. The food grown by the American farmer or cattlemen fill our store, freezers and plates with high protein nurishment. All this only fuels and feeds the carnal. Man is a spiritual being. One made in God's image. Where does the fuel for that come from? Read on as the prophet Isaiah has something to say about it.

Isaiah 40:25-31

King James Version (KJV)

²⁵To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

²⁶Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

²⁷Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?

²⁸Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

²⁹He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

³⁰Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

³¹But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Have you ever seen an eagle soar in a clear blue sky? Your eye catches this massive bird soaring effortlessly at what seems to be just above your reach. Then without the appearance of any spent energy an invisible force places itself beneath the wings of the bird and it spirals towards the heavens. Our eyes squint as the form of a bird changes to a dark spot, then to a dot and eventually to a shape that plays tricks with your eyes until you realize it is not there any longer. What kind of force can accomplish this?

When I was young I ran to stay fit. There was much pleasure to be garnered from this activity. As I ran I would reach a point where it became effortless to continue or so it would seem. Soon the muscles would tire and the lungs begin to labor for more and more air. Then it would be over and what seemed to be a pleasure became something that made me tired and weary.

Today the Lord is telling me that if I wait upon the Lord I will run and not grow weary. My strength will be made new and He will lift me up in the same way that He lifts the eagle, taking me to new and unseen heights.

God will supply the power and strength that I need if I just wait upon Him. Pretty simple. Pretty smart.

Thank you Lord for this promise. Thank you for this gift. May I always be found grateful and using it in your name. Amen - DD