Hope Produces Strength
Written by Scott Thompson
"But they who wait for 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
I have been an eagle for most of my life. The mascot of the school I attended from 3rd grade through high school was an eagle. In college, we were also the Eagles. I even attended seminary at a university that was- you guessed it- the Eagles!
Why do so many schools, especially Christian schools, choose an eagle as their mascot/symbol? I think it is because they understand the aspirational nature of Isaiah 40:31. This verse reveals a grand biblical truth: those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. Hope produces strength.
You probably don’t have to look very far back into your own experience to realize this is true. It is not our circumstances that give us strength. In fact, often times we need strength because of our circumstances. When times get tough, we look up and beyond the present reality to a better future and the One we know can make it happen – the Lord! When we trust in the Lord and eagerly anticipate what He will do, we tap into this great gift called hope.
As we move through this Advent season, I pray that you will do what a good coach will tell his eagles to do as game time approaches: "Lock in!" I pray you will lock in on the Lord and the reality of who Christ is and what He has done for us by taking on flesh.
PRAYER: Lord, help us to "lock in" to the reality of who Christ is and what He has done for us. Thank You that in Jesus, we can find renewed strength and hope.
