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Energy

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Isaiah 40:28-31
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. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who wait upon 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 faint.

Matthew 11:28-30
Jesus said to the crowds, "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."


Waking from a long sleep mostly uninterrupted and full of dreams, I barely contain energy that feels long and deep and endless. High hopes rise in my chest, everyone I meet looks loving and lovable, and all things are possible. This is the day I think I'm Peter following Jesus into anything.

A different kind of energy is more familiar. My substitute for sleep is adrenalin, sometimes with a caffeine jump-start. This energy is shrill, edgy, much less optimistic. My eyes flit from person to person, and my mind flutters, absorbing little. I must make an effort to project any kind of joy or hope. I react to others instead of initiating. The talent God gave me - of caring, empathizing with and blessing others - is buried alive.

Jesus pleads with me to trust his strength. When I will just risk surrendering my weakness to him instead of girding myself up with artificial energy, his yoke will be easy. I know this. I have felt the weight on my shoulders change from heavy to light.

Right into my ear, Jesus says quietly, "Relax. I will show you more than methods of breathing and muscle movements. I will give you rest."

John Denver, killed in a plane crash as he sped from place to place, wrote, "I am the eagle, I live in high country, in rocky cathedrals that reach to the sky ..." We all want to fly like eagles. God's direction for us, always, is to wait for him to show us how. That is all we need.

Could there be any wing, Lord, but yours that I want to either hide within or ride upon? You are my light and my salvation.



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