On occasions I will come across verses in the Bible I have heard quoted all my life on social media, in Bible classes, or if I'm just studying on my own. And on these occasions I will finally get it. It's like reading a novel two or three times before you finally get the subtle, underlying message. This past week I saw someone share a well-known passage from Isaiah 40:28-31. It reads:
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up on wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
As I read these verses over and over again in my mind, I imagined myself reading it to a large crowd, my voice growing in might, as someone giving a well-prepared speech.
Many words stood out to me in these few verses, but I grouped them into three main parts that I feel completely summarizes Jesus' whole mission while on earth.
What first struck me is Isaiah's word choices within each verse. Everlasting God. Creator of the ends of the earth. Understanding is unsearchable. Power to the faint. Renew. Mount. Wings like eagles. I see rich adjectives, subtle alliteration, and a beautiful simile at the end.
The second thing that stands out to me is the fact God never grows tired. If I could get by with sleeping all day, you would never see me unless you open my bedroom door to find me snoring contently and snoozing away. But in the very first verse I quoted earlier, we read God does not grow faint or weary. He even shares His strength and power with youths that are weary and men that fall exhausted. This leads me to my last point.
The Lord will renew the strength of young and old folks that may be too tired to function. They shall mount up on wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. I am at a loss for words to describe how beautiful that last verse is and what it really means to me. Imagine a place where we will soar to be with our Lord. A place where there are no diseases or injuries that prohibit some of us from doing activities we want to here on earth. A place without tears, sadness, anger, grief, or any sort of heartache. Just people who share a great love for a great God. A place of praise and light forever. A place that is unimaginably glorious. That place is called Heaven, and I really want to go there.
Will you join me?
