July 4 - Isaiah 40:21-31

July 4 – Isaiah 40:21-31

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

‘To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?’ says the Holy One. Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God’?

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 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.”

Sometimes I can’t come up with words to describe my feelings as I read scripture.  It doesn’t happen often … I generally have plenty to say.  But in this case, I am overwhelmed by the glory of Isaiah’s words.

We act surprised when God wields His power, or when things are out of our control.  Yet, Isaiah asks – Is this something that is new to you?  You’ve heard it over and over.  In fact, all of nature, all of creation regards God as sovereign.  We are nothing, yet we try to compare ourselves to God by making decisions that only He should be making. 

But, we refuse to understand.  And when we complain that God isn’t paying attention, we misunderstand the depth of His power.  He isn’t too busy with other things, we can’t wear Him out.  He is the one who gives us strength. 

When our strength comes from God, it is constantly renewable.  Even when things wear us out and life attempts to destroy us, having power from that source allows us to step beyond the vagaries of daily life.

Mom spoke that last verse over and over while she coped with cancer at its most destructive.  Her body wore out and finally quit, but the strength she maintained was found in her hope in the Lord.  She gave me a new definition of soaring, running and walking.  It wasn’t in the manner I expected, but it was exactly what God wanted me to comprehend.