Scripture – Isaiah 40:29, 31 – “He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. … Those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles…”
For the last few weeks, my church has been studying The Heart of Christianity by Marcus Borg. In one passage, Borg uses an image of Kenneth Burke that describes history as an “unending conversation.” History is like a person entering a parlor and hearing a conversation going on. After acclimating to the discussions, the person joins in. But over time, the person tires and leaves. This is a metaphor for our lives, entering and leaving the world in the middle of that ongoing conversation of history. There are two things we can take from this idea. The first is that in our time on Earth, we are adding to the progression of the conversation in small but significant ways. The other is that the conversation just keeps going and going and our time in the world does little to alter or change things.
In the book of Ecclesiastes, the Teacher writes, “All is vanity. What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun? … All things are wearisome… What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.” This pessimistic, if relatable, starting point indicates that we are powerless to advance the world. Everything is out of our control and must only be endured.
There are times when we do feel especially powerless. When a tree falls through our garage or a loved one comes down with cancer, we are faced with the inescapable truth that despite what we tell ourselves, there is nothing we could have done to prevent these disasters. They are out of our control. But there are also situations in which we are made to feel powerless by others, when in fact we are stronger than we know.
The Book of Isaiah famously says, “Those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles.” The original audience was a people who had been conquered and carried away, who had lost everything that made them them, who were told repeatedly in word and deed that they were powerless to change things. But the prophet reminded them of God’s presence, even in their helplessness.
The fact is that even when we feel powerless, there is still something we can do. There is value in facing impassible odds, even when it ends in failure. The seeds of courage planted today may yield a harvest of justice in the future. And most importantly of all, you can pray to God for aid, knowing that your strength comes from God, who never abandons you, even in your darkest hours. Even in the lowest pits of despair, God will always strengthen the powerless and call us to fly on eagle’s wings.
Prayer – God, hear my cries and do not forsake me. Remind me of the presence of Christ through us and with us and in us to face any danger or trouble. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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