Daily Scripture: Isaiah 40:26 Turn your eyes to the heavens!
See who created these?
He brings out the army of them in sequence,
summoning each by name.
Through his great might and his massive strength,
not one of them is missing.
27 Why do you complain, Ya‘akov;
why do you say, Isra’el,
“My way is hidden from Adonai,
my rights are ignored by my God”?
28 Haven’t you known, haven’t you heard
that the everlasting God, Adonai,
the Creator of the ends of the earth,
does not grow tired or weary?
His understanding cannot be fathomed.
29 He invigorates the exhausted,
he gives strength to the powerless.
30 Young men may grow tired and weary,
even the fittest may stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in Adonai will renew their strength,
they will soar aloft as with eagles’ wings;
when they are running they won’t grow weary,
when they are walking they won’t get tired.
Reflection Questions:
The Apostles’ Creed used the word “almighty” to affirm that God can do whatever God’s love and compassion requires. “Almighty” did not mean showy, “superhero” powers. This Isaiah passage spoke to weary Israelites facing a long, hard trip on foot from Babylon to Israel after years of exile. They were tempted to think God didn’t see their hardships. The prophet invited his readers (and us) to trust where we don’t understand, to “hope in the Lord” for renewed strength, and through faith to “fly up on wings like eagles,” to “walk and not be weary.”
- Isaiah wrote, “His understanding is beyond human reach” (verse 28). Our need to control, our challenge with “letting go,” can keep us stuck in the very problems we seek to escape. God calls us to “let go” and trust him because “his understanding is beyond human reach.” How can trusting, really trusting, in a God who’s vastly wiser than you are renew your strength by setting you free from the need to know all the answers?
- “Look up at the sky and consider,” called the prophet. How, if at all, are you able to “look up at the sky and consider” in your spiritual life? When difficult and discouraging times keep pulling at you to focus all your attention on the immediate problems of this world, how can you focus your inner vision “upward,” toward the greater realities of God’s world?
Lord God, I need you to go through this day with me. I need your strength and encouragement so that I can live with hope and not be weary. Amen.
Insights from Janelle Gregory
Janelle Gregory serves on the Resurrection staff as a Human Resources Specialist.
“Janelle, your mom broke her neck.”
In all of the words that you hear over your lifetime, there are certain ones that get engraved into your memories. A month ago today, such a phrase came to me in the form of “Janelle, your mom broke her neck.” Time stops. Priorities fade. Life changes its trajectory. The fact that these words came from my father in the emergency room right next to hers (for a completely unrelated reason), just added to this.
I suddenly found myself on a plane headed to Phoenix, leaving my son and husband behind in order to be with my parents. I won’t go into all of the details, but the next few weeks were very trying – emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
Yet in the midst of walking through darkness and uncertainty, I found that there was a light and peace from God that glimmered on this journey. There was medical intervention and other answered prayers, but what sticks out to me the most was the outpouring of prayers and care. There were notes of encouragement, calls of concern, meals delivered, responsibilities taken on. It was just immense.
At first it seemed weird to be cared for while simultaneously caring for others. It felt awkward and undeserved. The focus should be on my parents, not on me! But despite my initial resistance, I heard Jesus saying to me – “I am with your mom and dad, but I want to let you know that I am with you too. Accept the care that I’m giving you. This is my way of showing you my love.”
When thinking about the almightiness of God, I generally think of his power to create the universe and the beauty of this earth. I think of a huge amount of strength or an authority over everything in this world and beyond. But these past few weeks have reminded me that the almightiness of God can not only be vast and expansive, but it can be found in small moments as well. In each of our lives, we are intimately known and loved. Our God continually chases after us with his unwieldy affection – in quiet moments, through encouraging scripture, and by working through the lives of others. Certainly creating the world is beyond impressive, but how much more is it to know that on both the easiest and toughest days, we are not alone. God is beside and before us, eager to show us how much he cares.
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
“Janelle, your mom broke her neck.”
In all of the words that you hear over your lifetime, there are certain ones that get engraved into your memories. A month ago today, such a phrase came to me in the form of “Janelle, your mom broke her neck.” Time stops. Priorities fade. Life changes its trajectory. The fact that these words came from my father in the emergency room right next to hers (for a completely unrelated reason), just added to this.
I suddenly found myself on a plane headed to Phoenix, leaving my son and husband behind in order to be with my parents. I won’t go into all of the details, but the next few weeks were very trying – emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
Yet in the midst of walking through darkness and uncertainty, I found that there was a light and peace from God that glimmered on this journey. There was medical intervention and other answered prayers, but what sticks out to me the most was the outpouring of prayers and care. There were notes of encouragement, calls of concern, meals delivered, responsibilities taken on. It was just immense.
At first it seemed weird to be cared for while simultaneously caring for others. It felt awkward and undeserved. The focus should be on my parents, not on me! But despite my initial resistance, I heard Jesus saying to me – “I am with your mom and dad, but I want to let you know that I am with you too. Accept the care that I’m giving you. This is my way of showing you my love.”
When thinking about the almightiness of God, I generally think of his power to create the universe and the beauty of this earth. I think of a huge amount of strength or an authority over everything in this world and beyond. But these past few weeks have reminded me that the almightiness of God can not only be vast and expansive, but it can be found in small moments as well. In each of our lives, we are intimately known and loved. Our God continually chases after us with his unwieldy affection – in quiet moments, through encouraging scripture, and by working through the lives of others. Certainly creating the world is beyond impressive, but how much more is it to know that on both the easiest and toughest days, we are not alone. God is beside and before us, eager to show us how much he cares.
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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