Most Read Bible Verses---#22---Isaiah 40:28-31

Isaiah 40:28-31 (GN)

The Lord is the everlasting God….He never grows tired or weary….He strengthens those who are weak and tired.  Those who trust the Lord for help will find their strength renewed.  They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak

The 1981 movie, “Chariots of Fire”, was based on a true story of a Christian Olympic sprinter from Scotland.  Hollywood awarded the best picture of the year Oscar to this Christian-based movie.  One segment of the movie showed Olympic athletes winning and losing races while in the background this Scottish sprinter was speaking the words of this passage from Isaiah.  I used a clip of this movie in one of my guest sermons at Stones Crossing Church when preaching on Isaiah 40:31 some years ago.  I was amazed that so many people that day had never seen or even heard of the movie.  It is definitely recommended to rent and watch, a great family movie with a wonderful Christian message. 

There are so many approaches and angles one can take in writing about this Isaiah passage.  Today I’d like to focus on the metaphor of the eagle that Isaiah uses.  The eagle describes the person who puts his/her trust in the Lord.  The eagle is the national bird of the United States.  Why?  Because it is big and strong and flies high and fast.  For example, it can fly over 40 mph and swoop at 100 mph.  Did you know?

·  The eagle is noted for great strength and perseverance (Ezekiel 17:1-3)

·  The eagle is noted for its far-sightedness (Job 39:27-29)

·  The eagle rises above the world of pollution (Obadiah 1:4, Jeremiah 48:40 and 49:16)

·  The eagle is noted for its longevity (Psalm 103:5)

So, the person who puts his/her trust in the Lord is like the eagle and has the same characteristics as the eagle (“they shall rise up with wings as eagles”).

Did you know that eagles know when a storm is approaching long before it breaks?  It will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come.  When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm.  While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.  The eagle doesn’t escape the storm; it uses the storm to lift it higher.  It rides on the winds that bring the storm.

God, through Isaiah, compares those who wait and hope in Him to eagles.  You are blessed with that gift from God that enables you to ride the winds of the storm, whatever the storm is (e.g. sickness, tragedy, failure, disappointment).  You can soar above the storm.  It all depends on the way you handle our storms.  And the way we handle our storms depends on who controls our minds and the strength and depth of our faith.

May these words give you great encouragement as you begin a new year!