Devotional
Renewed Strength: Isaiah 40:28-31 – “Do you not know? Have you not heard? 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.”
After I’d witnessed an eagle in flight, I understood why God used this bird to describe a relationship with Him. The eagle—which simply opens its wings and soars—is wholly dependent upon air currents to keep it aloft.
In contrast, we often beat our wings trying to be better Christians. We resolve to read the Bible more or to improve at keeping our temper. We strive to escape old habits and temptations. But instead of flying to the mountaintops, we remain on the valley floor with tired wings. This is because believers sometimes get confused about what a spiritually mature person looks like. The godly believer isn’t someone who tries and tries to do well. I’ve been a believer long enough to know that I can’t live the Christian life. This flesh of mine isn’t a bit better today than it was the day I was saved.
Spiritual maturity means recognizing that we do not change ourselves. Flesh is corrupt, and its vices cannot be suppressed by any human means. But our omnipotent Father subdues believers’ human impulses through His Spirit. For example, God’s indwelling Spirit calms anger and wields His strength to weaken the lure of old temptations. While others tire from trying to be good, the mature believer relies upon God and will “mount up with wings like eagles” (Is. 40:31).
Isaiah reminds us that even young men stumble and grow weak. Anyone trying to change himself into a model Christian will burn out beating his wings against the world system and his own flesh. God didn’t make these human bodies, minds, or spirits to fly solo. He created us to soar on His strength.”
** I encourage you to use these passages from God’s Word as a resource in your daily life. Don’t let this truth just rest on this tag or on this shirt. Use it! Let it become a part of you, let the scripture be written on your heart and move you to live your life in obedience to God out of love. Dive into God’s Word, spend time with Him in prayer, connect with other believers, live for Jesus who died for your sins and rose again! **
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