Xanthe Hancox

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. Isaiah 40:28b-31

These beautifully poetic verses from the prophet Isaiah are surely some of the most well-known in the Bible. I’ve always been struck by the image of an eagle soaring effortlessly, high above rocky mountain crags, the cares of the world far below. But eagles are not just graceful. As this short clip shows, they’re incredibly strong, powerful and determined.

When these words were written the people of God were in exile. They constantly faced new challenges and new fears that could lead them to anxiety and despair. They were despondent, hopeless, and it seemed that God had abandoned or forgotten them.

Perhaps you feel the same way this morning.

The Bible answers the question of human sin and misery by pointing to the eternal God. In response to our problems, it reminds us of something we often forget when life seems impossibly difficult: the eternal faithfulness of God, revealed most fully in Jesus. Our God, the prophet says, will not forget the world he made.

The Christian faith does not deny the reality of our weariness but offers us hope. God means for us all to soar with hope—both now and forever. With the God who “will not grow tired or weary,” life is never hopeless. No matter what situation we find ourselves in, we may be filled with the hope of full life, assured by God’s Spirit that his promises are true.

Prayer: Lord, so often we grow weary. Help us to place our faith and hope in you, that we may have the strength and determination to soar like eagles, lifted up by your Spirit. Pick us up and renew our strength, we pray, so that we may put our hope in you, Amen.