Good Evening to All!Tonight's post is a Devotional titled "Renewed Strength".
Today's Seed: "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."Isaiah 40:31
It's difficult to watch someone we love--husband, wife, mother, father, sister, brother, friend--weakened by disease. For some the weakness is from the illness that eats away at them; for others it's the treatment, the "cure," that saps their strength.
There's no way to take away the pain of illness, and no way a few words can take away misery, but faith in God can ease the pain.
Sometimes the culmination of an illness is death. If so, this seed can give hope and peace, an acceptance, a promise that even in death, if we hope in the Lord, we will soar as the eagles do.
Sometimes there is a cure, a recovery, and we or our loved one can rejoice in renewed strength, giving thanks to God who supports us. We can view today's seed as saying, "Don't be afraid! God's here and if you put your hope in him, he will give you strength."
The God who created the universe, hung the stars in place, and called them by name is the same God who cares for us. Like a shepherd, God gathers his people as if they are "lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young" ( Isaiah 40:11).
Dig Deeper: The Hebrew word for "soar" alah, is translated in a variety of ways, including to ascend, excel, or leap. God isn't stingy when he gives strength; he gives enough so we can rise high above the troubles.
Background Bulb: Today's seed was written to the Israelites in exile in Babylon. The exile of the people of Jerusalem began in 586 B.C. and ended nearly fifty years later in 538 B.c. The people were tired and prone to think that God felt as they did. They feared that he had forgotten them or didn't have the energy or will to rescue them. The words were intended to comfort and encourage them as the end of the exile neared.
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