40:21 Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told
you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations
of the earth?
40:22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its
inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens
like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in;
40:23 who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the
earth as nothing.
40:24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their
stem taken root in the earth, when he blows upon them, and they
wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
40:25 To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the
Holy One.
40:26 Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who
brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name;
because he is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is
missing.
40:27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is
hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God"?
40:28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the
everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not
faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
40:29 He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.
40:30 Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall
exhausted;
40:31 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.
Wow. I have long loved this image of the one who gives strength to
the weary and helps them to mount up with wings like eagles. But
when you start the reading at verse 21 It really has a Wizzard of Oz
flavor. The great and powerful Oz has spoken and who dares question
him. Then again, this is the chapter which begins, "Comfort,
comfort, my people". So just how comforting is this passage? To me
it is comforting precisely when it is an expression of radical
monotheism. Those returning from exile in Babylon are ragged and few
in number but they have learned a great lesson; God is the god of
all and as it says in chapter 43 God is the author of all things,
weel and woe! That is profoundly conforting when I trust God!
This passage very much fits with the psalm.
The "Eagles' Wings" verse is one of my favorites. The whole passage
is good news for those who seek God in their weakness and suffering:
quite contrary to the message of our culture (as seems to have been
true for ancient Israel)God is not just watching from a distance,
but is active in creation. God is with his people!
Interesting connection. I often wondered whether Bette Middler's
Song "God is watching us from a distance" was supposed to make us
feel good or hopeless.
Frank in PA
I really want to preach on this passage from Isaiah, but I don't
know where to start. Do I focus on the reassurance of the uplifting
on eagle's wings or on the fact that God is creator of all. This
passage has special significance for our family as it contains word
that have sustained us through a very hard time in life. "... rise
up on eagles wings are the words carved on our son's headstone, and
since his death four years ago this is the picture God I have
carried with me, a God who raises us from the most terrifying
moments in life with the love and compassion of a Mother eagle;....
pushing us out of the nest, yet never letting us fall. How can I get
this point across ????
If I could comment on the Bible Passage on your sons headstone. You
have begun to get your point across very well. Anyone who has ever
parented, children of their own, or foster children, or children who
would otherwise have been victims of genocide, can begin to grasp
the feeling of what it is to lose a child. The way in whiich God
consideres that loss to be important, and the way in which God does
nudge or sometimes pushes to go forward. For me it is precisely
because of this wonder of God, the fact that God is and can do more
than even my most fantastic visions or dreams can comprehend, that
makes it possible for me to hold on to that reality of being lifted
up on Eagles wings. Perhap I have been too resumptuous so far, but I
began to say you have already begun to get your point across. If
your heart is ready to share your story, people will probably be
able to make a beginning at understanding through your experience of
God in your life. I appreciate what you have shared so far. Just
food for thought. In Christ. M.J. in Canada
I agree. You have a powerful story about God's holding you up...if
you are ready to share.
This is the OT preferred text in the UM Funeral Liturgy. I do find
it very comforting to read to others. It will be good to preach on
it in a non-funeral setting for a change.
I'm looking for Eagle imagery for worship - tee-shirt, figerarine,
etc. We will sing the "On Eagle's Wings" hymn.
The promise of renewal after the hard times is what is speaking to
me right now. Caroline in CT/USA
I agree as well about getting your point across. But for those of us
who will be celebrating our Lord's Supper on this first Sunday of
the month, what a powerful connection. God too knows what it is to
lose a son. God not only loses a son but alows him to be sacrificed
on our behalf (He is Savior.) God also raises him up "with eagle's
wings" and through him sends the Holy Spirit to raise us up and
strengthen us in the midst of life's difficulties. God is With us is
the good news that we can celebrate this day. B.W.
I feel the "eagles" wings is our living in the power of God as
opposed to us living in/on our strenght alone, which will/does fail
us, everytime!
asc
Have you ever thought about youth growing tired and weary? We seem
to think that only adults may grow weary. For weariness is defined
as emotional and mental tiredness, not physical. The combination of
physical tiredness and weariness of mind and soul makes for a
dangerous mix impacting upon our spirituality.
Have you ever thought about the wings of an eagle? I did some
research on this subject and found that no one knows how high an
eagle is able to fly. I wonder how high we might fly with God's
empowerment?
A military person understands v 31 in light of physical and mental
weariness. For they run and roadmarch many miles. Knowing that a
mission must carry on, they continue through mile after mile. One
foot, one foot, one foot until the mission is completed. There is
great reward in the accomplishment of that mission. Likewise, we
carry on day after day despite weariness of soul -- knowing that one
foot in front of the other is the only way we might accomplish our
life mission. And, for people of action, "waiting" on God is the
toughest thing to do. However, He draws us aside and renews us while
we are waiting. Perhaps the military saying "hurry up and wait"
applies here also.
PAM
Pam --
I think you are right. Waiting is the toughest thing any of us have
to do -- especiallally if we are "doers". I plan to preach Sunday on
the power of waiting -- not just any waiting of course, but waiting
for God. I've been tossing about random thoughts about the kind of
waiting people do -- waiting for the surgeon to come out of the
operating room and report to the family my teenager waiting
(impatiently) to be a grown-up me waiting (impatiently) for her to
finally "get it" the old World War II soldier who told me about
waiting in the foxhole all night the night before the battle waiting
to see what God has in store for the congregation
To me, vv.21,cf, point us toward the One who is in charge of
creation. My need to control, to "do something" is puny and silly in
comparison. The Creator God works in God's own time. My task is to
wait and listen first. . .then to act when led by the Spirit.
Isn't this a rich passage? So many ways to go this week.
RevEv in Kansas
My initial reflection is that God offers this comfort to those who
are waiting for salvation from him alone. The exiles had learned by
the loss of the promised land that waiting for help from Egypt is
futile, that their leaders might fail, fale gods are a shadow,
strength comes in waiting even in emptiness and pain for the
salvation that comes from God alone. Lewis
The metaphor of eagles' wings is fascinating. Has anyone done any
text work on what this figure of speech may have meant in its
original context?
Dmorris, Alabama
Yes, waiting can be very hard. I used to work about 65 hours a week,
take care of the home, and my 3 children. I liked to be a doer -
even thrived on it. Then I came down with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
I had to go on disability, my house is a disaster, and my children,
now grown, visit to take care of me. Even so, I think of the word
"wait" in terms of a "waiter", standing ready for the day when I
will wait upon the Lord in the active sense. I now am again serving
a church part time. It is the most blessed ministry I have had.
Perhaps those times of inactivity are the womb from which we are
born into a new relationship with God that is more powerful because
we have acknowledged our weakness, been more attentive to our
calling, and allow the Holy Spirit to work through us. Needless to
say, I'd like this on my tombstone, too. -Fisherfolk in OH
I will take the statement of v. 26: "Lift up your eyes on high and
see..." and preach :"Take A New Look At Your God". The text preaches
itself. God is: Creator -vss.22,26,28b Arbiter of history - vss.
23,24 Omniscient - v.27 The Eternal One - v.28 Sustainer -
vss.28c-31 I will use the songs: "From A Distance" and "Wind Beneath
My Wings" as cultural illustrations, among other sources. Can't wait
'till Sunday! Dan in Ohio
"From a Distance" has been mentioned several times this week. The
question was even raised, is it really comforting to think that "God
is watching us from a distance"? While the closeness of God is a
good thing, let us not assume that watching from a distance is a
negative thing. When using a zoom lense, zoming in close has its
value but it is when we zoom out, from a distance, that we see the
larger picture. When I hear that song, "From a Distance", I feel joy
because to me it is an affirmation that God sees the larger picture
and we are part of the larger picture even though it is not so clear
from our perspectives. Manzel
