Wings Like Eagles

Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard? These questions open Isaiah's powerful proclamation, drawing us into a mystery that feels both ancient and new. The everlasting God, the LORD, does not faint or grow weary. His understanding is beyond searching out (Isaiah 40:28). But what does this mean for us, frail and often faltering as we are?

In our world, strength is often equated with self-sufficiency. We are told to be strong, to stand on our own two feet. Yet here, in Isaiah, we encounter a different kind of strength. A strength that is given, not earned. "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength" (Isaiah 40:29). What a reversal! The Creator of the ends of the earth, who neither faints nor is weary, chooses to bestow His power on the faint-hearted.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall (Isaiah 40:30). It's a stark reminder that human vigor, no matter how robust, will eventually falter. We see it in the athlete who stumbles, the student who burns out, the worker who can no longer bear the load. Yet Isaiah offers hope: "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength" (Isaiah 40:31).

The Hebrew word for "wait" here is qâvâh ^H6960, which carries the sense of binding together, perhaps by twisting. It suggests a patient expectation, a hopeful waiting. This waiting is not passive but active, a gathering of oneself to God, trusting in His timing and His provision.

Consider the promise: "They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31). The imagery is vivid. Eagles, renowned for their strength and ability to soar to great heights, serve as a metaphor for the renewed vigor given to those who wait on the Lord. This is not a mere return to baseline strength but an elevation to something greater.

Paul echoes this truth in his letter to the Corinthians: "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Here lies the paradox of the Christian life. In our weakness, God's strength is perfected. It is when we come to the end of ourselves that His power can rest upon us.

This divine strength does not exempt us from life's trials. We are "troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair" (2 Corinthians 4:8). The promise is not the absence of trouble but the presence of God in the midst of it. As we walked through last week's sermon, "Why Does God Wait?", we saw that His timing is always perfect, even when it feels delayed.

The psalmist captures this beautifully: "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living" (Psalms 27:13). Our hope is anchored in the character of God, who is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him (Lamentations 3:25).

As we wait, we are transformed. Our strength is renewed like the eagle's. We find ourselves able to run the race set before us with endurance (Hebrews 12:1), not by our might, but by His Spirit. This is the essence of the Christian journey—strength made perfect in weakness, a life lived in the power of the risen Christ.

So, dear friends, as you sit across the table, weary from the week's burdens, hear this: God's promise to renew our strength is not an empty one. His grace is sufficient. Wait on Him, and you will find wings to rise above the trials, feet to run without weariness, and the courage to walk without fainting. Let us hold fast to this hope, knowing that He who promised is faithful.