“But they that wait upon 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.”
Trust God in the Stillness
Have you ever asked God a question yet it seemed as though He hadn’t answered? Or that He is not moving visibly for you to see the answer? You are waiting for instructions to move forward on a decision. Your flesh wants to move ahead of God. You want immediate answers and you may be thinking, even screaming, do something NOW!
Those who wait, are those who trust God enough in the stillness not to move without Him. There are times God is simply waiting on us. Waiting for us to take the first step or to do the last thing He told us to do. You know that thing that you haven’t completed or even started yet.
There is a promise in Isaiah 40:31. It reveals a strategy for surviving and thriving in the hardest seasons of life. Let’s look at the first part where it talks about waiting. Waiting feels like silence, like delay, like nothing is happening. But let me tell you something, waiting is not passive, it is not sitting still and it is not doing NOTHING! Waiting, is warfare in stillness. Waiting is alignment, it is positioning and surrender. When you wait, you are leaning your full weight on God trusting Him completely even when you don’t see immediate results. It is obedience when nothing seems to be moving. This is where our ABBA Father renews our strength. He restores what was drained, or what was broken. So, while you think that nothing is happening, heaven is doing deep work in you in the spirit realm.
Soar Like an Eagle
The eagle is such a fascinating animal. Did you know that an eagle soars on the currents of air without even flapping its wings? It flies on the wind, not in its own strength, and therefore it can ride the currents for hours with little or no effort. The eagle gives us an example of how we as believers are to rise above the storms of life.
When we wait on the Lord, we should be like the eagle, moving with the flow of the Holy Spirit, like the eagle rides on the currents of air to go higher. Not moving in our own efforts. In the Hebrew culture the eagle was seen as a mighty warrior. They are known for their strength and courage in dangerous, turbulent weather, soaring above the storm.
Wings Like Eagles
We are to mount up, not crawl. The eagle doesn’t fear the storm; it was built for it. The eagle doesn’t just endure storms; they are lifted during them.
In Exodus 19:1-6 the same phrase “eagle’s wings” is mentioned. In these verses God is giving Moses a message for the people of Israel. It is also a reminder to them on how He delivered them from the Egyptians. The prophet Isaiah uses wings like eagles in the same way, attributing the characteristics of eagles to those who remain faithful to God in the mist of storms.
The phrase mount up is a translation of the Hebrew word ˈalah, (Pronunciation: ah-LAH) which means “to go up, ascend, to go up over a boundary.” Isaiah is communicating the promise that God will provide renewed strength and courage to overcome obstacles, if Israel would only have patience and trust in the Lord’s timing. Does that sound familiar to you? Perhaps you have obstacles just as Israel had in that day. I encourage you to trust in the Lord’s timing. It is perfect. Be willing and obey quickly in whatever He tells you to do or not do.
Comfort in Times of Distress
In the account of Isaiah, the nation of Israel suffered a period of great distress as the Assyrians invaded and conquered their lands. In chapters 40–48 we see a time of redemption and deliverance from the suffering. Chapter 40 begins with the words “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God”. Israel had nearly given up hope, thinking God had abandoned them, yet Isaiah drives his point home in Isaiah 40:27–31. Take time to read this passage for yourself. God’s understanding is so great that he knows even the tiniest details about our lives. We need to look to Him only in faith during times of distress.
We should apply the principle of Isaiah 40:31 daily in our lives. By trusting in God and being willing and obedient to Him. “We do not have to lose heart or give up. God in His grace will provide power, strength, direction and courage to us. And to anyone that may be weary, weak, and downtrodden. When we are patient and wait on Him, God will cause us to mount up on eagles’ wings.
Looking for more? Check out my related blog posts: