Strength

Isaiah 40:25-31 (The Message)

"So—who is like me?
Who holds a candle to me?" says The Holy.

Look at the night skies:
Who do you think made all this?

Who marches this army of stars out each night,
counts them off, calls each by name
—so magnificent! so powerful!—
and never overlooks a single one?

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
or, whine, Israel, saying,
"God has lost track of me.
He doesn't care what happens to me"?

Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening?

God doesn't come and go. God lasts.

He's Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.

He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts.

For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.

They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don't get tired,
they walk and don't lag behind.

So. Isaiah reminds us why we need to remember that "God Gives."

Remembering gives us perspective.

Perspective is the reason that everybody needs to go stand beside the ocean, or a mountain at least once a year.

We're just not as big as we think we are. And that's a good thing.

What I mean is, we are wonderfully, marvelously dependent.

Life is not a "do it yourself" experiment.

"Look at the night skies. Do you think you made all of this?"

Even in this big world, where we are dependent, and in a sense insignificant, God assigns us great significance. We matter to him.

So, "why would you ever...whine, Israel?"

Because we forget, and we need to remember. God gives. God gives the stars, and God gives strength to those who need it. We all need it.

God gives, and God is good.

Prayer: Thank you God for the stars in the sky. We could not ever do what you have done. We are dependent. Help us to remember that you do not forget us. You give, and we receive.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.

Come worship with us this weekend at SOTH! Sunday services at 9 and 11 AM, and Sunday School at 10:15. We hope to see you there!