4 July | EVERYONE
«But those who wait on 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
The prophet contemplated the landscape of Israel and Judah over the years. He saw their successes and their mistakes, their formal and superficial behavior, devoid of love. In today’s text, he announces the attitude of the people upon their return from captivity. Men, women, and children returned loaded with uncertainties and fears. The city was destroyed and the faith of those who had remained in Jerusalem was contaminated by paganism.
In these circumstances the Jews wondered if the Lord would still remember them. And God told them through the prophet that He knew the name of each star and that, with all certainty, he also remembered them. He challenged them to lift their eyes, to see the sky and to stop looking only at the horizontal level.
In these circumstances he affirmed what we read today in the verse above. This is the promise to a tired and overwhelmed people; afflicted and hopeless, who had lost faith in the Almighty God.
If they dared to trust in the Lord, he would give them wings like eagles to be able to fly in the blue sky, so as not to settle for digging the dirt of this life. The Lord promised them that, although they had a long road ahead of them, they would not get tired because their trust would not be placed in human beings but in the God who never fails.
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This same promise is also for you. Sometimes you need to wait, even if you live in an immediate world that craves instant results. In the divine realm things are different. Patience allows God to work. Do not be discouraged! Keep fighting and trusting in the Lord! Sing “Those Who Wait on the Lord” (if possible, with your family).