Results of Waiting upon the Lord

“But they who wait upon 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.” –Isaiah 40:31 (ESV).

If we admit it, most of us would have to own up to being a bit impatient.  We have not yet developed fully that gift of the Holy Spirit called patience.  Isaiah urged waiting upon the Lord, being patient for His will and way to be accomplished. It should be made clear that the word “wait” does not mean to sit idly by and do nothing.  Wait carries the idea of hoping, anticipating.  While we wait we meditate on God’s power, His promises and His provision.  Waiting is active anticipation of what will come.  As we surround ourselves with God’s presence, He will be renewing our strength.

Last year I had an illness that put me in the hospital for a few days for drip antibiotics, oxygen, and breathing therapy.  The lung infection had a thorough grip on me and I could not throw it off without help.  The treatment worked, and soon I was allowed to return home, continuing with some breathing exercises and adequate rest.  During the period in the hospital and the enforced rest, I sought as well to draw closer to God.  I thought of the experience as being the pure oxygen of God’s renewing presence.  A definite result of waiting upon the Lord was a renewal of strength.  To renew is to find a supply of new strength adequate to the tasks at hand.  God wants to accomplish that in the life of those who wait upon Him.

The next result of waiting upon the Lord is given in a striking metaphor”  “they shall mount up with wings as eagles.”  Once when Grover and I were on a trip to a western U. S. state, we came upon an eagle aerie.  There that majestic and mighty bird nested.  This symbol of our country’s strength was able to lift mighty wings and soar into the sky as we watched.  While watching the eagle, I thought of this scripture and its promise.  When I think of the eagle as the mascot of our country, I think of the powerful potential of a united country, one on the right track and with purposes clearly defined as our pledge of allegiance so aptly states:  “one nation under God, with liberty and justice for all.”  May our country return to the Lord and seek His strength and direction.

What a blessing it would be to experience the last two results of waiting upon the Lord:  to “run and not be weary, to walk and not faint.”  Dr.  Warren Wiersbe comments on this verse:  “”As we wait upon God, He enables us to soar when there is a crisis, to run when the challenges are many, and to walk faithfully in the day-by-day demands of life.  It is much harder to walk in the ordinary pressures of life than to fly like the eagle in a time of crisis.” (The Weirsbe Bible ommentary, Old Testament.  Colorado Springs: Cook , 2007, p. 1185).

Prayer.  May we as individuals and a nation wait upon You, O Lord.  Through Your grace renew our strength.  Help us to meet the requirements for Your forgiveness and restoration.  We would again like to have the strength in crisis as a mighty eagle, and the ability to run and walk with confidence and be unafraid.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.