Soaring

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.

Isaiah 40:28-30

The wind whistles through my ears and blows several strands of hair into my face, distracting me from my mission.  I readjust my grip, sending tiny pebbles and dust falling into my eyes.  I don't know if I can hold on any longer.  Drops of sweat form on my forehead and my heart beats faster as I feel my fingers slip from their place on the cold, hard stone.  I'm losing my grip . . .

In  life, I sometimes feel like I'm barely holding onto the edge of a cliff, dangling thousands of feet in the air making every effort to keep from falling.  If only I can hold on for just another day, I think, then I know things will get better.  That's when the truth of Isaiah 40 is most needed.  My God does not grow weary and He will give me strength if I only give Him a chance.  Who is this God that I should put my faith in Him?

My Creator  The One True God is the One who created me along with everything in this world. He knows me intimately because, "(His) hands made me and formed me."  (Psalm 119:73)  When I was growing up, my dad built our house, garage and barn.  Since he placed every beam and floor joist, he knew the strengths and weaknesses of our home better than anyone else.  This is how God is with me.  I can trust Him because He made me!

Everlasting  The Lord our God has no beginning or end.  He is not bound by time as we are.  As Moses prayed to God,"Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." (Psalm 90:2)  This is a God who I can count on because He is a God ". . .who is, and who was, and who is to come." (Revelation 1:8)  I can trust Him because He will always be there!

Understanding  There are so many times when I feel like no one understands me.  I try to explain my point of view, or describe what is happening in my heart, but words cannot adequately describe my thoughts and feelings.  God, however, knows and understands!  David expressed God's intimate understanding of me in one of my favorite Psalms. 

"O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.

You know when I sit down or stand up.  

You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.

You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. 

You know everything I do.

You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord."

(Psalm 139:1-4, NLT)

I can trust Him because He fully understands me.

Fall  When I feel I cannot hold on any longer, I need to let go and fall into the arms of the One who created me, who will always be there to catch me, and who intimately knows and understands me.  He will not let me fall.  In fact, in His arms. . . I will soar!

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will stop trying to hold on, and let my God carry me.

Where am I refusing to let God in?

How am I holding myself and others back by trying to do things myself, instead of letting God?