KEEP YOUR HOPE IN THE LORD

PROCLAMATION

“But those who hope in The Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

Chapter forty of The Bible Book of Isaiah presents The Lord God as The Savior and focuses on His grace.  It begins offering a comfort to God’s people, given all that they had been through. (Isaiah 40:1-5)  God is described as a gentle shepherd who carries His lambs close to His heart. (Isaiah 40:11)  Then there is a lengthy discourse proving that The Lord God has no equal and that nothing or no one really compares to Him. (Isaiah 40:12-29)  Finally it states that even young men will get tired and weary, but they that have their hope in The Lord God will have their strength renewed.  They will be able to run and not get tired, and they will be able walk long distances and not faint.  They will also rise up and fly high, and like eagles they will soar effortlessly in the air.

APPLICATION

Bible scholars suggest that this verse refers to three levels of power, walking, running, and flying, or three stages of Christian growth, the young can run, the adults will fly, and the mature will walk non-stop in the ways of God without getting tired.  The Lord God gives strength to the weary and power to the weak. (Isaiah 40:29)  All of our human ability to function comes from God.  It is in Him that we live, move, and have our very being. (Acts 17:28)  As we age, our physical abilities change.  They increase while we are young, and then gradually decrease when we get old.  However, our spiritual abilities should continue to increase as we grow in knowledge and holiness, as we progress from babes in Christ to mature Christian adults, and as we progress from milk to meat. (1 Corinthians 3:2)  We need to thank The Lord God for all that He has done, is doing, and will do for us.  Let us remember to keep our hope and faith in The Lord. (1 Thessalonians 1:3)  Things may be dismal right now but continue to wait on The Lord. (Psalm 27:14)