Fly, Run, and Walk

 Tonight, pastor Rubi preached an encouraging and useful message to us. He used Isaiah 40:31 in his text. I saw something that he did not preach on in this verse. Here is my take on pastor Rubi's text.

"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."

The Holy Spirit puts flying first, running second, and walking last. This seems out of order at first. Shouldn't you walk, then run, and then maybe fly?

I see this as three stages of the Christian life.

First, you fly. Salvation is a great experience. The weight of sin is removed and you feel lighter than air. Everything is fresh and exciting. The burden of sin is gone. You are truly a new creature in Christ. And if you, like me, get filled with the Spirit and speak in tongues at the same time, well, hang on to you hat. The God of miracles is real and alive and working in my life.

Second, you run. One day, and it differs for everyone, you try to fly and you can't. So, you start to run. Running has it's own rules and benefits. Running will take you places. Not as high or as fast as flying, but you are still making great progress. You are still covering new ground. You still feel strong and fit. But you wish you could still fly. You are running after God and you are running after your calling.

Third, you walk. One day in the Christian life, you learn that a lot of your life is walking by faith in a faithful God. When you walk you notice details that you do not see from the air or even while running. It is a slower pace, though you are still moving forward. It is while walking that you find out what is important. You find out what you can and cannot do. You no longer think about flying, but you do rejoice at those who soar overhead. You can encourage those running after their calling. And you can be an example to your fellow walkers.

Faith to fly is easy. Faith to run is hard work. Faith to walk is like breathing. Anyone can walk and stay on the path until life is over or the Lord returns.  The key is to wait on the Lord. He will renew your strength.