Tag Archives: weary

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“Be Strong, Together!”

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Isaiah 40:21-31 (40:20) – February 4, 2024

            When I was young, I would often take walks near my parents’ house, on the northwest side of Chicago. Lots of opportunities for me to walk outside. In the mid- and late-summer, I vividly remember seeing grasshoppers by the side of the paths through the grassy sections of the Forest Preserves, and certainly hopping around in the vacant lots near my house!

            As I read the first two verses of our Scripture lesson this past week, I couldn’t help but think about the prophet’s juxtaposition in verse 22: “God sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.” The heavens are so massive, so colossal and huge, and yet we humans are tiny grasshoppers, far, far beneath.

            The vast heavens? They stretch out majestic, and go on forever. But, grasshoppers? Tiny insects, hopping about, not very imposing or powerful creatures at all. Somewhat demeaning description, in fact. However, if we think hard about these two images, that is our starting point. Sooner or later, we all feel like grasshoppers, especially if we compare ourselves to the mighty and powerful Lord who stretched out the heavens! [1]  

            Just consider: we puny, grasshopper-like people seem pretty small and unimportant, next to a mighty and powerful God. Running to and fro, hurrying and scurrying through life, our limited human lives can be a challenge. With stresses and tumult in our personal lives as well as the lives in our communities, so many of us are seeking some hope, some peace, even some strength that comes from outside of our selves. For many, they do not know where to seek. [2]

            Comparing us limited humans to the God who stretched out the heavens is a tall order. How does that work, anyhow? I know that I have been fascinated for years by the detailed and intricate photographs taken by the Hubble space telescope. This incredibly high-powered telescope has been orbiting the earth since 1990, and takes incredible photos. It captures extremely high-resolution images without the distortion of Earth’s atmosphere, allowing for a deep, detailed view into space. [3]  If you have never examined Hubble’s marvelous photos of distant space, I strongly encourage you to view some online!   

            Looking at these photos makes me wonder and marvel even more at how the Lord has spread out the vast, starry expanse of the heavens. Today, we have a much more detailed knowledge of astronomy than the people of 2500 years ago, at the time the book of Isaiah was written. We continue to marvel at the Lord’s mighty, powerful handiwork – and, bow in awe and worship at the words found here in chapter 40, comparing humans to grasshoppers.

            However, instead of being diminished as tiny insects in the eyes of the Almighty God, humans are lifted up. In this same passage, the prophet tells us that             “God gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Yes, the very same God who created the heavens and the earth, the very same God who stretched out the heavens like a canopy, is the same God who gives each of us strength. What a comforting and reassuring message!

            I know about weakness, first hand. Last winter, a close family member of mine had major surgery. Thank God, everything went well, but there were weeks and weeks of recovery. Gathering strength, going to rehab, and many, many hours of recuperation and recovery in the gym and outside, going on long walks and riding a bicycle. And thankfully, my family member now reports in good shape today. Getting continuing strength from our God, too.

            I know other folks have relatives – perhaps even themselves – who have weakness, sickness, or are in similar distressing circumstances. Perhaps your distress is not physical, but mental or emotional. Perhaps our strength – our human capability – is depleted. The unpredictable nature of human life can wear any of us down!

Sure, many people go to the gym and work out, or go to the pool and swim laps, taking our fitness seriously, and that is all to the good! “Those activities can provide us a level of fitness that enable our bodies to function physically, yet we also need additional inner strength to be able to function well. Since our mind, body and spirit are interconnected, how we feel spiritually or emotionally can affect our physical energy level. That’s where God can help.” [4]

Even young people can grow tired and weary, as difficult as it may be for them to believe sometimes. We all can grow weary and stumble, and we all get stressed, and even depressed sometimes. The prophet understood, and that is why we receive this message today from verse 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.”

We can have strength in the Lord! And, that is not all. When we are open to a meaningful and personal relationship with God, we open ourselves to inner energy and strength that can restore and sustain us. In the next weeks, I will offer some spiritual exercises that will assist in strengthening us. Some are familiar, some less so, but all of these exercises or spiritual practices can allow God to come alongside of each of us. [5] These help us to tap into special, heavenly power and strength that only our powerful, mighty God can provide.

Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Our mighty God is able. We can, indeed renew our strength Just like eagles. Amen, alleluia.

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

[1] https://cepreaching.org/commentary/2018-01-29/isaiah-4021-31-2/

[2] https://www.faithandhealthconnection.org/weekly-health-scripture-isaiah-4029-god-gives-strength/

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubble_Space_Telescope

[4] https://www.faithandhealthconnection.org/weekly-health-scripture-isaiah-4029-god-gives-strength/

[5] Ibid.

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Rest for the Weary

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(I am on vacation this weekend. Thanks to the Rev. John Lewis of The Presbyterian Church of Hamilton, Ohio for preaching for me at St. Luke’s Church!

This is a sermon from 2008 on the Lectionary passage from Matthew 11:28-30.)

“Rest for the Weary” – July 6, 2008

Matt 11-28 rest, bench

Matthew 11:28-30

I was born here in the city. My parents were born here, too, in Chicago. I have only a vague idea of what goes on in the country, on a farm. My information about farming activity comes chiefly from material I have read, and a bit from stories I have been told. By my father-in-law, for example, who grew up on a small farm in southeastern Iowa during the 1930’s.

So, when I read a scripture passage like the one we have before us today, I have to take a really close look at it, and work hard at fully understanding it, because I am not that familiar with oxen, or yokes. But burdens—I am familiar with burdens. And our Lord Jesus talks about burdens here in this reading from the Gospel of Matthew.

Burdens come in all assorted shapes and sizes. Burdens can be solitary things, with each of us, on our own, struggling with our separate burdens. It is difficult indeed for me to carry a burden on my own. And I am heavily laden. Let’s face it. We are all burdened with something. Perhaps several things. A few of us carry a lot of heavy difficulties, whether psychological, emotional, or physical. These all can be heavy burdens, to be sure.

If I thought I was having problems before, I did not even consider this next complication: I am naturally separated from other people here in this world. Just as much, if not more, I am also separated from God above. I not only have a wall of isolation separating me from other people, I also have that same isolating wall separating me from God.

The Bible has a name for this horrible wall of isolation, and this name is sin. As the Apostle Paul says in Romans 3:23, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The verse is not that a few have sinned. It does not say that some have sinned. The letter to the Romans says that all have sinned. So that wall of isolation has been erected between me and God, and me and other individuals. And that wall is there for you, too.

Think of different kinds of loads: burdens of pain and suffering, burdens of loneliness and isolation, burdens of other kinds of losses. If we think about it, on top of the other burdens that each of us is carrying is the burden of sin.

So, not only is each one of us separated from God and from our fellow human beings, but each of us is heavily burdened by countless other things. And I could imagine lots of people getting virtual hernias, because they are carrying their burdens all by themselves.

The truly good news is that we do not have to bear these burdens all alone, any more. Our Lord Jesus has reconciled us to God. Each of us is no longer separated, isolated. But Jesus brings us back into a proper, friendly relationship with God. Each of us has the opportunity to be called a child of God.

And Jesus not only reconciles each of us back to God, this is where He mentions the yoke. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.

What is a yoke, anyway? How does it work? What does it do?

You all remember that I am a city girl. From my reading, I have found out that a yoke is used by a farmer to harness two animals—often oxen—to a piece of farm equipment, usually a plow. Yokes were made of wood. When the yoke was made, it was adjusted, so that it would not chafe. And the significant thing about this is that a yoke was custom-fitted to the particular ox that pulled with it.

Jesus mentions a yoke here. Remember, all of these people Jesus was talking to understood about farm life, and oxen, and especially about a good fit on a yoke. So when or Lord Jesus mentions “My yoke is easy,” He means that His yoke for each one of us fits us very well—it’s tailor-made, in other words. And even more important, one ox alone does not pull in a yoke. The load would be unbalanced if there were only one ox. Instead, each of us is in a team . . . in a yoked team with Jesus. If our Lord is right with us, pulling at our burden—whatever it is—at our side, then each of us is on a winning team.

Just imagine. I no longer need to pull at my burdens all by myself, isolated and alone. Jesus is right there next to me, helping me, pulling by my side. Praise God! Jesus comes alongside each one of us. Jesus is there to encourage us. And He will bring rest for our souls. Is there any better news than this best of all Good News?

Alleluia, amen.

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my regular blog for 2020: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and my other blog,  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!