With Wings Like Eagles

Even youths will faint and be weary,
    and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
    they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:30-31 NRSV

We all get weary from time to time. Physical weariness can sometimes actually be quite satisfying when it comes from a long, hard day of work. However, I have not found emotional, mental, or spiritual weariness to ever be satisfying. It is a struggle for many to overcome this type of weariness that often brings depression. It is not overcome alone. We must wait on the Lord and trust Him to renew our strength. He will send His Spirit upon you so that you might once again soar like the eagle through the trials of the day.  

 

In Christ, we shall run and not be weary.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Hebrews 12:1-3 - Keep Your Eyes Fixed on the Goal

Just about every year we have at
least one (sometimes more) who affirms
their faith and faithfully enters the race.

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV
Have you ever tried to walk a puppy on a leash? They tend to want to go in many directions. Puppies and little children can get distracted very easily. Children of God must discipline themselves if they are going to run the race marked out for us. It is very easy to be distracted if we don't keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (vs 2).

It is almost time for our group of young people to affirm their baptisms with the Rite of Confirmation. They have not finished any race. They have simply been in spring training so that they can be prepared for the race. Sadly, we will not see many of them again, except for possibly at Christmas. Many will lose site of the goal. All that training and no race! Those who choose to actually run the race seem to be few in number. Some will return, but not all. There will be too many distractions and attractions in the world for them to ever see the cross of Christ clearly, again. But, thanks be to God for those who will continue on to reach the goal.

Lose site of the goal and you will fall out of the race... May God help us to always remember the joy that comes with finishing in His Kingdom; in His presence.

God's Peace - Pr. J

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Self-Discipline; Running the Race

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NIV
My husband is a Detroit Lions fan. Most everybody else that I know belong to the Green Bay Packers club. Personally, the only sport I am interested in is the race that St. Paul is talking about in today's reading. "Run in such a way as to get the prize," he says.

No matter what sport one participates in, one must practice. Those who don't play and only observe practice sitting on the edge of a couch or stadium seat. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself) That would take a lot of self-discipline on my part to sit for that long and watch others play. But, no matter what it is that we desire; we must discipline ourselves to reach for what we desire. That goes, not just for sports, but for all areas of life. Toini Heikkinen, a neighbor and a former music teacher (she has since reached the end of the race.) use to insist that her students practice every day. It was not an option. She expected them to discipline themselves if they truly wanted to play the piano well.

All these things are well and good. But, remember they only satisfy for a time here on earth. If our ultimate goal is living in the presence of God; in His eternal Kingdom, then we might want to discipline ourselves in our journey (race?) for that goal.

In reality, we cannot run the race and win; for life in the Kingdom of God was already won for us on the cross by our Lord and Savior, Jesus. I feel justified in calling it a race only because some days I seem to be in a pretty big hurry to see that Kingdom in all of God's glory.

May God bless your journey...

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 16:16-33 Grief; Then Joy

John 16:16-33 NIV
Jesus warns his disciples that shortly they will no longer see him. Then, after a while, they will see him again. They will grieve and then they will rejoice? They are confused. They haven't a clue what he is talking about. He appears to be talking in riddles, again.

Lest we forget what we've read in preceding chapters let's review. Jesus tells his disciples these things in the Upper Room on the eve of his crucifixion. He is about to be betrayed. He is about to be put to death. Emotions will run high in the coming days. They will run and hide in fear as they grieve his death. Yet, in just a few more days they will be rejoicing when they find him risen from the dead.

Jesus likened what they would be going through to a woman giving birth. First, pain; then, when the child is born there will be rejoicing. It is this way with many of the trials we go through. It may feel as the world is coming to an end for us. We may even think that we do not want to endure another day on earth. But, as we journey through the dark shadows that we must endure, we find at the other side a beautiful rainbow and the Son shining. We rejoice.

Do not be afraid for God is with you. Take heart. Even though you will encounter trouble in this world; God has a good plan for you. Rejoice, for He has overcome the world and in Him you will know peace.
God's Peace - Pr. J

John 10:1-21 Good Shepherd Doesn't Run

John 10:1-21 NIV
When a person truly loves another, with their whole hearts and minds; they are willing to do anything for them. They are willing even to lay their life down for their beloved. This kind of love; this kind of commitment to others seems (at times) to be in very short supply. We are willing to run when things get tough; to divorce our spouses, to leave our children, to abandon our friends.

But, the Good Shepherd is not willing to run. He is and was willing to die so that we might be saved from all evil and harm. He is there always for us. He hasn't and won't run from us. He calls each of us by name so that we might follow him in safety and in peace; that we might have life.

Jesus is the gate to eternal life. Any other way leads to destruction. He calls to you. Follow the Good Shepherd and live life most abundantly in the presence of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 13:31-35 Threats Do Not Dissuade

Luke 31-35 NIV
Run! Herod wants to kill you, some Pharisees had warned Jesus. Oh well! Whatever! Jesus had a mission and he was not going to run from Herod. He would continue driving out demons and healing people until he reached his goal. His goal was the cross. He was going to die, so what difference did it make whether Herod was looking to kill him or not. He wasn't about to let a few threats dissuade him from continuing the work he was called to do.

Personally, I get a bit weary of the threats. I am not Jesus. But, he is with me and gives me strength to continue onward wherever he will call or send me. He has led me this far. He will lead me home. I know that even though Jesus' journey took him to death on the cross; it also took him through death to the Kingdom of God. So, threats may wear me down a bit, but they will not strike me down completely. I will continue toward the goal, even if it includes a journey to the cross (which it will).

God's Peace - Pr. J