Lent 2020 day 41

’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)

Dr Lisa Adjei writes:

“I love this verse. It has been such an encouragement to me in challenging seasons of life. I love its imagery and the invitation to set our gaze back on God.

As we look around at our world right now, there is so much that can cause our hearts to be overwhelmed with sorrow. The word ‘hope’ in this verse is 'qavah' in Hebrew. It means to expect and to eagerly long for. This waiting on the Lord isn't a passive waiting, it's active and full of faith that God can move.

There is a brilliant African proverb that says, ‘It is not wise to accept the offer of a shirt from a naked man’. In other words, if something is so good, the person offering it to you should be using it too.

This passage from Isaiah is an invitation from a man who knew hardship and difficulty, but he also knew what it meant to run to and wait on the Lord. So no matter the situation, let's take this invitation to eagerly and expectantly look to him.

Father,
We come to you honestly with all that is difficult, broken and hard in the world around us. May it not drive us away from you but towards you. We look eagerly towards you to move, to heal our land and to restore. Amen.”