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Listen while you read: "O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go"1 (Lyrics) |
When I first started a Bible discussion at the local long-term care centre, they used a course specifically designed for seniors. There was a lesson for every week with a title, a recommended Scripture passage, some ideas, some questions, a memory verse, a prayer, and an applicable hymn to read at the end of the session.
One time, the theme was "His strength will renew us", and the memory verse was from Isaiah 40: "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength." Here is the whole passage:
Isaiah 40:29-31 – He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on 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. (NKJV)
These verses tell us about the greatness of God and His faithfulness to give us strength to cope in times of need. I looked at the room full of people, about 20 or 25, and wondered how I could tell them about the way God would renew their strength. Some are in pain; others are lonely and feel forgotten; some are depressed and bored. How could I convince them that God would take care of them and renew their strength? These were difficult words indeed. We talked about the different situations we may find ourselves in and how we get strength from the Lord.
Then, one resident told us that she was there because she had suffered a debilitating stroke some years before. "I am trapped in this body," she said. At first, she had had a real problem accepting her fate. But then, she considered her family and friends, her church and her faith, and she came to the conclusion that she was there for a reason. She talks about her faith to different people and to me. Actually, I learned more from her than she did from me.
Indeed, during those difficult times, the Lord carries us as on the wings of eagles. Eagles usually build their nests on high ledges or in very tall trees, and when the young are ready to learn to fly, the parents make a lot of commotion to get them out of the nest to learn to fly. Sometimes, the young ones are unable to stay airborne, but before they crash, the parent will swoop under it and carry it on its wings back up to the nest, and later, they will try again.
So it is with us when we are overwhelmed by the problems which confront us or the situations we may find ourselves in. When we feel that we are about to crash, the Lord will swoop under us in a symbolic way and carry us on His wings.
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, we know that in all our problems, we can come to You and You will comfort us, support us, and carry us to Your safety. Amen.
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Great words Joel.
Beautiful Joel, Thank you.
Thank-you Joel for this lovely devotional. The words are so true!
Thank you for your Devotion today. This verse from Isaiah has long been a favourite of mine.
Thank you Joel, that was beautiful. You shared this passage with us in such a visual way. Keep on writing I look forward to more from you.
What a beautiful devotional and so relevant to a serious medical condition that my husband is facing. In fact, another friend who also reads this daily devotional forwarded it to me. Thank you, thank you.
Dear Joel,
Thank you very much for your devotional. I have been struggling lately with some deep problems.
I am in tears.
(Akron, USA)
Hi Joel,
This is one of my favourite Scriptures. There is also a praise song – “The Power of Your Love by Geoff Bullock – that means a lot to me. The chorus is:
“Hold me close, let Your love surround me
Bring me near, draw me to Your side
And as I wait, I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You, your Spirit leads me
By the power of your love.”
Thanks for your message today. Blessings.
Hi Joel,
I enjoyed your devotional. One of my favorite passages of scripture is just that Passage from Isaiah. And that is because it has been true for me so many times already. The secret though is in the word “wait”. So few people know how to wait – in patient faith and expectation during which time one waits as does a servant wait upon his Lord.
And to those of us who have found that passage to be perfectly true and reliable it is sad to see just how many sufferers bare their needless pains rather than to wait on the Lord.
Blessings.
I just want to tell you how your message touched me today. I am trying to fight a resistive to chemo and am spending a week at a cottage in Muskoka with family nearby. Yesterday about 18 of us were all together to
greet and hold our newest great granddaughter. Sometimes with out much warning my pulse will drop and I pass out. This happened yesterday and I know that God used family to raise me up “on eagles wings” when I was not able. As I was coming around I felt another great grand daughter, who is barely 2 1/2 years put her little hand in mine. I know with certainty that I was touched by the hand of God.
Thank you and may God bless you!
Thank you Joel for your words for today. I work as a chaplain in a seniors care facility so your topic hit a chord with me. I sometimes feel the same way as you expressed when I look out at the residents that have so many limitations but as we share together and sing hymns of praise I see their smiles and God’s light in them and they are so appreciative of our time together. I often feel like they give more to me than I do to them. May God continue to bless you and your seniors as you journey together.
I also really liked your image of the eagle swooping down help her young as they learn to leave the nest. That speaks a lot to all of us as we attempt new challenges or as we encourage others in their attempts for new things. Thank you again.
Thank you for your words today. Blessings.
Joel, I didn’t know that about eagles swooping under their young. Thanks you for sharing that image of our Heavenly Father with us. I needed this devotional today since my aging bones sometimes feel very weary indeed. Blessings.
Hi Joel,
I love this devotional because it is so true.
The eagle soars above its problems just as we can do through the Holy Spirit, on eagle’s wings.
I find such encouragement in anything related to the eagle because of a chorus I learned at DVBS as a young child. God is so loving He arranges all of these experiences in order to challenge us to accept Him as our Saviour. Praise His Name.
Thank you for this refreshment.
Dear Joel:
Thank you, and thanks and praise to God who brings us reminders that are fitting and potent. We are blessed that God times them just for us.
(BC)