|
Relections
Each week, the FVLA Principal prepares a personal spiritual reflection. Through these reflections, it is the prayer of Fox Valley Lutheran Academy that each person walking on a journey of Christian discipleship is able to know, understand, and experience the importance of God's grace that has been abundantly given and can be gratefully shared. If you would like to have a copy of each week's reflection emailed to you, simply click to subscribe.
Each week, the FVLA Principal prepares a personal spiritual reflection. Through these reflections, it is the prayer of Fox Valley Lutheran Academy that each person walking on a journey of Christian discipleship is able to know, understand, and experience the importance of God's grace that has been abundantly given and can be gratefully shared. If you would like to have a copy of each week's reflection emailed to you, simply click to subscribe.
Soaring
November 18, 2008
November 18, 2008
I have always wanted to fly. Oh, I don’t mean in a plane; I mean by myself like a bird can do. I can visualize it so vividly because it has happened so often in my dreams. Even sitting here right now as I write, I can recreate that soaring sensation.
No wonder the popular passage of Isaiah 40:31 has special meaning for me…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.
We all crave to live that gravity-defying picture because it poses itself in such sharp contrast to what we feel many days of our lives. Life’s weights anchor us down, bury us in the debris of responsibility, and exhaust us with fears we hardly dare enumerate. It seems that unexpectedly a threat more real than we’ve experienced can appear and make us feel more vulnerable than we care to admit. The pace at which we live these days doesn’t help either. It seems even good things can become a burden, and decisions are hard to make. Now, today, we might even add the worries of the economy and fears of job loss. All this overwhelms us with a worrisome weariness.
We’d like to escape and take off above it all. Actually, as unlikely as it seems, we can be lifted above the intense weight of what burdens us. That kind of escape doesn’t happen because of our own lofty plans or by elevating our being through self-help and positive thinking. Actually, instead of escaping from our challenges, we are able to find our burden lightened in the midst of them. The lift that lightens our load is found in God’s strength, not ours. It is His might alone that never grows weary or faint. He never tires of helping us once again. It is He who runs to our aid and lifts the pack of care that pins us to the ground. If we trust and hope in the Lord, He will renew our strength so that even in the midst of the deepest, darkest challenge and vulnerability we can find the power for the next step, another and another, till once again we can run and not grow weary, till once again, even with what challenges us, we can soar on wings like eagles…through God’s strength alone.
One very fascinating image about the dreams of flying that I have is that I’m not flapping my arms feverishly to become or remain airborne. Instead, I’m very relaxed with only an occasional arm movement needed to glide in a different direction. The experience is so peaceful because I’m doing nothing to make the flying possible. Seems like that image captures well what it means to hope in the Lord...His work, not ours!
Soaring peacefully. Hoping in the Lord.
No wonder the popular passage of Isaiah 40:31 has special meaning for me…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.
We all crave to live that gravity-defying picture because it poses itself in such sharp contrast to what we feel many days of our lives. Life’s weights anchor us down, bury us in the debris of responsibility, and exhaust us with fears we hardly dare enumerate. It seems that unexpectedly a threat more real than we’ve experienced can appear and make us feel more vulnerable than we care to admit. The pace at which we live these days doesn’t help either. It seems even good things can become a burden, and decisions are hard to make. Now, today, we might even add the worries of the economy and fears of job loss. All this overwhelms us with a worrisome weariness.
We’d like to escape and take off above it all. Actually, as unlikely as it seems, we can be lifted above the intense weight of what burdens us. That kind of escape doesn’t happen because of our own lofty plans or by elevating our being through self-help and positive thinking. Actually, instead of escaping from our challenges, we are able to find our burden lightened in the midst of them. The lift that lightens our load is found in God’s strength, not ours. It is His might alone that never grows weary or faint. He never tires of helping us once again. It is He who runs to our aid and lifts the pack of care that pins us to the ground. If we trust and hope in the Lord, He will renew our strength so that even in the midst of the deepest, darkest challenge and vulnerability we can find the power for the next step, another and another, till once again we can run and not grow weary, till once again, even with what challenges us, we can soar on wings like eagles…through God’s strength alone.
One very fascinating image about the dreams of flying that I have is that I’m not flapping my arms feverishly to become or remain airborne. Instead, I’m very relaxed with only an occasional arm movement needed to glide in a different direction. The experience is so peaceful because I’m doing nothing to make the flying possible. Seems like that image captures well what it means to hope in the Lord...His work, not ours!
©2008 Fox Valley Lutheran Academy
220 Division Street, Elgin, IL 60120
www.fvla.com - 847-468-8207
All Rights Reserved
220 Division Street, Elgin, IL 60120
www.fvla.com - 847-468-8207
All Rights Reserved