Key Scripture: Exodus 19:4 & Isaiah 40:31

Ex 19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Relevance

In this human world, we get tired, stressed, worn out, and often tearful, not knowing solutions or answers to what we are going through, yet we cannot wait until they end. We're desperate for help. 

The Lord gave us many scriptures to bolster our courage and fortitude, but the one that hangs on so many walls and is brought to memory at times when we are sinking deep in despair is Isaiah 40:31. 

Why is that verse so powerful when we are wearied, strained and on the edge of falling to pieces? Because it speaks of eagles soaring.

Our minds imagine the peace of soaring in the sky above life's noise and mayhem, above the current pressure and tension, to a special place of mental freedom that we cannot find here and now. How settling that would be, liberating our thoughts, and returning our strong faith to its central position in our lives. 

But often we read the verse and don't fly. There is no permanent change.

What we miss in this verse is hidden in the Old Testament interpretation of the word Longsuffering.  Longsuffering has a direct relationship with, despite it seeming totally unrelated. We may say, "I've already been suffering for a long time, I know what long suffering is!" But do we?

Once we 'get' the secret, the veil is removed, and we begin our real journey of renewing our strength, mounting up with wings, running and not being weary, and walking the extra mile or five, without fainting under the strain. 

Strong's concordance renders Longsuffering H750 'ārēḵ  (aw-rake’)  as Longwinged or long pinions as are on an eagle's wings. Pinions are the outfeathered part of an eagle's wings that are used for flight. They are the main flight feathers that allow the eagle to soar high above the day-to-day earthly business, yet it still sees (discerns) what is going on down below. 

So, to fly in that tranquil state, we must factor in the significance of long-suffering. 

Longsuffering has two key aspects—foresight and expectation. That is the ability to look into the future and expect the unexpected and unwanted, then rest in the Lord as the future unfolds.

Without this anticipation and forward planning, our long suffering is cut short, being replaced by anxiety. Our peace and mental rest escape us. No soaring happens. Preparing for the unexpected is a personal risk management approach. God has given us the Holy Spirit to enable us to do it. Within that prudent behaviour of knowing and expecting is the peace we seek. Stress levels reduce because we predict what is coming. 

The stress lies in what we have not predicted. Risk management's job is to anticipate the things that can harm us or our situation and control them.  For instance, I have mentored some interesting people. When I began, I knew I would need both peace and the ability to endure suffering for two reasons. One is that some of those people have short wicks or tempers. As they hear some truths from me, always spoken in kindness and gentleness, their reactions could result in me receiving verbal abuse or even a physical assault. Knowing these are simply reactions, I account for that and prepare my heart not to react in kind, but with understanding and continued love. This anticipation keeps me at peace and able to love them through it, when others might give up and walk away. This approach has given me some long-lasting, wonderful relationships.

The second reason, which undergirds the first, is that Jesus Christ has never given up on me, all through my myriad of follies and lack of wisdom, so how could I think I have the right to give up on someone else just because I've been insulted? How many times have I inadvertently insulted my Lord?

1 Corinthians 13:4 defines longsuffering, which is the result of growing the fruit of the Spirit. “Charity suffereth long, and is kind”

Prison taught me a great deal about longsuffering. We inmates wore green uniforms with no distinguishing features of superiority. We were all servants who mustered together when told, ate at times set by others, were locked away of an evening and let out in the morning by the real superiors, and were at their beck and call. If an inmate at the prison farm decided not to play the servant role any longer, and started fights with other servants or challenged his superiors in any real way, he was shanghaied (sent) to a walled prison.

We were humbled by law and, for the extent of the sentence, were also humbled into suffering long with fellows we would not associate with or suffer long on the ‘outside’.

Long-suffering is very much about denying our personal desires to achieve God’s result without grumbling. 

This brings us to the New Testament Strongs concordance G3115 Noun makrothymia  (mak-roth-oo-mee’-ah) Perseverance, slowness in avenging wrongs,and 3114 makrothymeō  To persevere patiently and bravely in enduring misfortunes and troubles

It is essential to get long-suffering right, as it is fundamental to the longevity of all relationships and a secret to peace, and is gold tried in the fire.

Let's settle our hearts and praise Him for this quality of the Holy Spirit that He is trying to instil in us, and the rested heart that comes from it. 

Prayer

Precious Father of peace, we thank you for the fruit of the Spirit that brings peace and the roundabout way it flows through long suffering and kindness. Help us with our peace, so it doesn't prevent us from entering into your rest. 

Photo by Mathew Schwartz