Isaiah 40:28-31 Renewal

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. 

Observation:

God sends this message to Isaiah when all seems lost to the people of Israel. They don't think it could get any worse, and it does. What they have ahead of them is a long and tiring journey. Each day they aren't sure what is going to happen. God reminds them who He is. He is strength and gives strength. If they hope in Him and come to Him every day, all day for their portion He promises them they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.

Application:

It seems like over these last few months the spiritual life-blood in me has sprung a slow leak. I think I may have committed to too many things or met with too many people, maybe my diet is unhealthy, I don't know. However, I do know that I haven't gone to God to ask Him what I should commit too and what I shouldn't, what I should eat and what I shouldn't.  When the days tasks are bearing down on me I have an opportunity to hand them to Him and trust Him with them. Instead, though, I take up the tasks and my life revolves around getting things done and not enjoying the abundant life He has for me. My sleep patterns get off, my eating takes a nose dive, and even the best of intentions make it hard to get me off the couch to exercise. And that is just what is happening to me physically, my relationships get worn out also. With my slow spiritual leak, I don't have as much as normal to pour intro others, and instead of emptying my cup everyday because I trust God to fill me up, I become selfish and stingy with my time and energy. What hurts most of all, my relationship with God becomes distant. It becomes based on performance and not on just enjoying and loving one another.

God made it clear to me that He wanted me to study this scripture today. I'm going to get up on stage this morning and proclaim this encouragement to the congregation, but it first needs to encourage my soul. 

The truth is I don't know how to find my way back to just enjoying and trusting Him. God reminds me, however, that I don't have to know the way back, I just have to ask Him. He doesn't see my jump back on the treadmill as failure, but an opportunity to not just come back but draw deeper into Him.

Prayer:

Father, take me back to Your heart. Revive me with Your lovingkindness. Please keep in step with the rhythms of grace and love. I want to enjoy You and for Ou to be the center of all that I do and all that I am.