wait

Are You Weary or Soaring?

On a trip to the Oregon coast, my husband and I watched as a bald eagle swooped down, snatched a young bird from a cliff, and carried it off in his talons. As symbols of strength, freedom, and victory, eagles are powerful both in flight and with their vision. They fly at impressive heights and wait patiently for their prey. They also have excellent eyesight and focus with clarity.

Perhaps the imagery of power, patience, and focus is expressed in the following Scripture.

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

The New King James version reads, wait on the Lord. This is not a passive waiting but a faith-filled expectancy as we hope in Christ and what He is doing in our lives.

As we wait on the Lord and pray for Him to move in our situation, He renews our strength. That’s one way we grow in our faith walk with Christ.

Eagles soar without using much energy. They don’t tire or grow weary easily. If we keep our focus on Jesus, and what He endured for us, we won’t give up either.

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:3, NIV

Jesus knows the obstacles we meet each day. He knows what’s happening around us and understands our turmoil, angst, and impatience. He gives us strength to overcome every obstacle in our path.

Covid-19 may have disrupted our lives and normalcy and caused us to feel perplexed and struck down. But according to 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, we are not crushed, in despair, abandoned, or destroyed when we are in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NIV states—

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting
away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen,
but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary,
but what is unseen is eternal.

I believe Paul was saying we shouldn’t give up or give in to discouragement, for our spirit is being renewed each day. In the grand scheme of things, our troubles here are temporary, but our hope in Christ and eternal life are so much greater. As we place our hope and faith in Him, may we eagerly await our future joy together.

We can soar on eagle’s wings if we stay focused on Christ.


Title photo by Sean McGee - Unsplash

Photos below by LuAnn K. Edwards.
Mama bird was not happy with Mr. Eagle!

Whose Advice Do You Seek?

In the book of Isaiah, God’s people did not seek the Lord’s advice regarding the Assyrian nation. Instead, they turned to Egypt for protection. God spoke these words to His people.

In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it (Isaiah 30:15, NIV).

How guilty have I been? Seeking advice from those I trust is not a bad thing. But I should go to God first. After I’ve sought wise counsel from others, I need to return to the Lord and rely upon Him to guide me to make the right decisions.

The leaders of Judah trusted in horses, chariots, and a nation that could not help them. They would have suffered less had they understood their deliverance would come from confidence in the Lord.

How many times would I have struggled less had I called upon God? Instead, I followed the crowd or agreed to an idea or advice without questioning it.  

But our God is gracious. His mercy is available to each of us. Verse 18 describes God’s mercy toward his people.

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him (NIV)!

When I wait on the Lord and seek His wisdom, He’ll speak if I’m willing to listen. God whispers in my ear. It’s up to me to pay attention.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it” (Isaiah 30:21, NIV).

Often, I pray first. After I seek advice from others, I’ll follow up with research of my own. I usually pray again about the situation. Waiting is my biggest challenge. By the time I get there, I think I’ve got it all figured out. I need to slow down and wait on God.

My life’s journey will be easier to travel when I learn to be still and rest in God’s strength for everything. I need to trust Him from the first prayer through the wait.

Which part of the advice process is most challenging for you?