Isaiah 40:31

New International Version (NIV)

 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.

For Meditation

“O, No! This is not happening,” Kim said, throwing her hands into the air. This was the fourth office of the Department of Motor Vehicles she had visited for the renewal of her license. The queue was outrageous, so she drove away to find a less crowded one. The tires screeched as she left the parking lot, mindless of the several miles she had to cover to get to another office in a quiet neighborhood she remembered.

“This should work,” Kim said as she hit the beltway to beat the time, but the familiar sound ruined the prospect. She looked up into the driving mirror and saw the flashing lights tailing her.

“Now what,” she yelled as she pulled up and put her head on the steering wheel, sobbing.

“You need to have your license renewed by the end of the day, madam,” the officer said, handing Kim a two hundred dollar ticket. “You have a good day.”

Life can be cruel sometimes. Just about a quarter of a mile to the DMV office, Kim’s engine stalled and the car glided to the shoulder of the road. In the flurry of events that morning, she failed to pay attention to the fuel gauge, and now she had no idea how to get the car refueled. Worst of all, her presentation in a critical management meeting had drawn down to a forty-five minutes due time.

Some days are like that. The list of things to do grows, and scheduling tightens up. One disappointment turns into another, and the day ends in a physical and emotional exhaustion. At such times, the mature Christian remains confident in the Lord’s presence and firm control. Without seeking an explanation, they turn to Christ for renewed focus and strength. They hope in Him and wait for their fortunes to change.

The amazing thing is, Jesus knows when we are completely drained at the end of such marathon days. He knows because He is God. Not only does He know it, He can feel our exhaustion. It was a constant experience through His earthly ministry. He therefore invites us to come to Him in our weakness, that He may grace us with renewed strength (Heb. 4:14-15). He promises to give us renewed strength to soar above the storms of life like eagles, to run with the most challenging situations and not grow weary, and to walk among the most difficult environment and not faint (Is. 40:31).

Thank God we don’t need the DMV to renew our strength to continue living. He has given us Christ Jesus for that purpose, with no required fee. It is all grace. Marvelously, His presence is open at all times, and there is no queue to endure. Isn’t God good?

When we patiently wait for the Lord, He renews our strength and refills our emptiness with His Spirit.

Shalom