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21 Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; 23 who brings princes to nought, and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing. 24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. 25 To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing. 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is hid from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God"? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, his understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for 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 40:21-31 RSV)
Happy Wednesday, ConCafe Family! And may a day filled with unexpected joys and blessings be yours, dear Friend! May this time spent with God be frutiful and joyful. Remember to keep praying for one another, and for yourselves.
If you're like most people, you have probably underlined verses 28 through 31, or maybe just verse 31. Evangelist Luis Palau once said, "If your Bible reading has become stale, read the un-underlined verses of your Bible!" And that is so true! Many of us have so many favorite verses that we sometimes forget there's a whole lot of verses that we have not underlined and are in the Bible for a reason! And so, let us look carefully at those verses that come before verse 28!
The prophet in his calling, had to remind the people of God about God. Sadly, many tend to forget about God with the hustle and bustle of daily life, when it is precisely the hustle and bustle that calls us to have more faith! Isaiah is reminding people about the basics of their faith. He begins with the big picture; God is the one who sits above the circle of the earth; and compared to Him, we are like grasshoppers. God can stretch the heavens like a curtain and can make a tent of them if He so wishes. It is also God who can take those in power out of power, and into worse situations if He so pleases; and nothing is certain, except God and God's will. Can anyone be compared to God, God asks, through the prophet? Uh, no! All you have to do is look around and take a notice of what is all around you. This morning, when it warmed up a bit in Houston, Nellie and I took our grandson Eli for a ride in his stroller and though the sun was bright he enjoyed the outdoors. While walking along a man-made canal in this sub-division, among the trees that line the canal I saw a small bird. At first I thought it was a sparrow, but noticed the color on it, and it was a finch. What a blessing to see this bird fly from tree to tree for a few feet as if to say, "Enjoy the view of me; God has placed me here!" And indeed, if we take the time to truly see, we understand what the prophet is emphasizing; God has made all things, and those things are awesome! God has made these things, and knows them all by name; and all are accounted for, for nothing ever goes missing from God. The prophet dares ask, "Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, 'My way is hid from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God?' Then the awesome concluding verses that have blessed so many through the years: God is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for 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."
In God, we can find that extra boost of strength and energy to go ever forward, even when we feel we have already done and given all we can. The prophet knew for he himself had been a recipient of God-power and God-strength when he needed it the most. Even as a young man, he knew what it was to feel faint and be weary, and even to fall exhausted; but in waiting/asking the Lord, God will renew their strenght; they will seem like eagles with power to soar; running will be without tiredness, and walking will be pure joy. Such is our God!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, as we meditate on this verse, You better than we, know just how we feel and know what exactly we need; grant to us all that we need to move ever forward in following and serving You. May we serve as examples to those who feel ready to give up, when they see that we have not, and will not, because You are our fuel and our strength. May it be so, for we pray in the name of Jesus our Lord, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Get that extra punch of power from God today in ways that bless those who need to see it in action!
Receive my blessings of hope and strength,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
