Daily Scripture: Isaiah 40:26-31
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
27 Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 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.
Read additional translations at Biblegateway.com or youversion.com
Reflection Questions:
“Sometimes the world tries to knock it out of you,” says young Evan/August about his music. “But I believe in music the way some people believe in fairy tales.” Isaiah spoke to people who had the “music” temporarily knocked out of them. God doesn’t grow weary, even when we do, wrote the prophet. God can renew your strength.
- Today’s passage addresses the weary, cynical complaint of the Israelite in exile: “My cause is disregarded by my God.” In what parts of your life are you struggling with a sense that God isn’t paying attention to your concerns? What steps does the prophet say will renew your hope and strength?
- “Life up your eyes,” calls the prophet (we see the young musician in August Rush lift up his eyes all through the film). How, if at all, do you “lift up your eyes” in your spiritual life? How can you keep your inner vision aimed upward, especially in difficult and discouraging times?
Read Pastor Andrew Conard’s insights on today’s scripture at gpsinsights.wordpress.com
Weekly Prayer:
Dear God, we’ve learned so much about the physical properties of this world and this universe. Sometimes I struggle to remember that, with all we’ve learned, there is more in this world than just what my five senses can detect. Give me eyes to see, and ears to hear, your presence in my life. Amen.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, TODAY’S NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society®. Used by permission of International Bible Society®. All rights reserved worldwide.
