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I want to start with a quiz. I'll start a verse, and let's see if you can complete it. “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will . . . ."
That’s right! They will “soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” This may be one of the best-known passages in scripture. You can find it on t-shirts, car bumpers, and blogs. I dare say it may be underlined or highlighted in a fair number of Bibles here this morning. It may even rank as your favorite verse; I’ve certainly heard it named as such before. And for good reason! It’s poetic and uplifting; it speaks of the renewal we all need. We read it and can almost feel the wind beneath our wings lifting us to soar, the very Spirit of God renewing and re-energizing our weary bodies and souls.
If you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop, you know me too well. But I don’t want to disrupt your love for this verse this morning—it’s certainly worthy of regular reading and meditation. I just worry that sometimes, we take this verse out of its larger context.
First, we can be guilty of neglecting the shadows that give relief and beauty to the painting’s bright colors; we ignore the dark coldness that makes the fire so warm and bright. While Isaiah 40 is certainly an encouraging chapter, it’s not all good news! The people of Israel are compared to more than soaring eagles in Isaiah 40. The prophet also likens them to (among other things) flowers, dust, and insects—none of which has a particularly positive connotation. We can’t ignore those less favorable comparisons in Isaiah 40 and fully grasp its last verse.
Second, by taking 40:31 out of its context, we can take the message of comfort and apply it to any-old-place we need to be comforted. I’m physically exhausted this week or I’m fatigued by a difficult co-worker or I’m feeling a touch of the doldrums; so, I turn to Isaiah 40:31 for a pick-me-up. God can certainly provide healing in those situations, and he may even do so through this verse, but I don’t think that’s the thrust of Isaiah 40. This morning we’re going to take a quick flyover of Isaiah 40 and hopefully see why Isaiah is comforting his hearers and thus where he can be a comfort for us.
At the risk of deflating the swelling drama of my sermon, I’m going to go ahead and reveal my take from the beginning: in chapter 40 Isaiah isn’t comforting a people who are physically tired or exasperated by annoying acquaintances or beleaguered by the blues. He’s singing comfort to a people who have been exposed, judged, and punished. When we’re ready to identify with that group, then we can hear his words at their most assuring and uplifting.
That’s right! They will “soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” This may be one of the best-known passages in scripture. You can find it on t-shirts, car bumpers, and blogs. I dare say it may be underlined or highlighted in a fair number of Bibles here this morning. It may even rank as your favorite verse; I’ve certainly heard it named as such before. And for good reason! It’s poetic and uplifting; it speaks of the renewal we all need. We read it and can almost feel the wind beneath our wings lifting us to soar, the very Spirit of God renewing and re-energizing our weary bodies and souls.
If you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop, you know me too well. But I don’t want to disrupt your love for this verse this morning—it’s certainly worthy of regular reading and meditation. I just worry that sometimes, we take this verse out of its larger context.
First, we can be guilty of neglecting the shadows that give relief and beauty to the painting’s bright colors; we ignore the dark coldness that makes the fire so warm and bright. While Isaiah 40 is certainly an encouraging chapter, it’s not all good news! The people of Israel are compared to more than soaring eagles in Isaiah 40. The prophet also likens them to (among other things) flowers, dust, and insects—none of which has a particularly positive connotation. We can’t ignore those less favorable comparisons in Isaiah 40 and fully grasp its last verse.
Second, by taking 40:31 out of its context, we can take the message of comfort and apply it to any-old-place we need to be comforted. I’m physically exhausted this week or I’m fatigued by a difficult co-worker or I’m feeling a touch of the doldrums; so, I turn to Isaiah 40:31 for a pick-me-up. God can certainly provide healing in those situations, and he may even do so through this verse, but I don’t think that’s the thrust of Isaiah 40. This morning we’re going to take a quick flyover of Isaiah 40 and hopefully see why Isaiah is comforting his hearers and thus where he can be a comfort for us.
At the risk of deflating the swelling drama of my sermon, I’m going to go ahead and reveal my take from the beginning: in chapter 40 Isaiah isn’t comforting a people who are physically tired or exasperated by annoying acquaintances or beleaguered by the blues. He’s singing comfort to a people who have been exposed, judged, and punished. When we’re ready to identify with that group, then we can hear his words at their most assuring and uplifting.
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