Isaiah 40:28-31

28 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 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.

(NIV)

Contemplation:

Soar. Run. Walk.   Highest to lowest.   Fastest to slowest.  Grandest to simplest.   God starts by giving us a broad perspective (soar).  A big vision.  Our heart thrills at the newfound understanding.  We take it, full of energy and enthusiasm (run).   Eventually, we must walk it out in small obedient steps.  It feels at the time like we are getting bogged down, but actually we are exactly where God wants us to be.  We are learning to grow beyond the joyful novelty of starting to the deeper satisfaction of finishing.  We are learning how to patiently keep in step with the Holy Spirit's rhythms and pace.

Often our spiritual growth is stunted because we love the thrill of soaring, and perhaps the energy of something new, but fail to walk and not faint by trusting God for the small difficult steps we must take to bring us closer to accomplishing the vision God has shared with us.  It is the longest, hardest, most time consuming part of the process.  God is not in a hurry.   He knows what we will need for the journey.  We must tenaciously find His strength by abiding in Him to sustain us as we move toward the things He has let us see from above.

Question:

What steady patient process has God called me to at this time in my life?

Prayer:

Father, thank you for your patient wisdom that does not capitulate to my anxious whims or controlling tendencies.  Help me to be more like you.  Let me trust that the same grace that revealed your plan can also sustain me as I walk it out one step at a time.  Renew my strength, O Lord.