First Saturday of Advent 12.9 – Isaiah 40:28-31
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for 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.
As we mature, we are confronted with the reality that many aspects of life aren’t the way they used to be. For some of us, getting older reminds us that our bodies can’t do the things they once did. Our youthful glory days on the court or field have slowed or come to an end – a fact we’re reminded of each time we reach the top of the staircase, out of breath!
But weariness doesn’t just describe a state of physical fitness. Hopes or dreams we once had may seem now out of reach, and we confront the nagging feeling we have missed out on past opportunities.
Further, many of us feel like our souls are worn down. We remember the days when we were hopeful and optimistic about the world and our lives, and we wonder where that spark of life has gone. The relationships that used to give us joy have begun to feel drab and burdensome. We wonder if this is just the way life is.
Today’s reading from Isaiah recognizes that growing weary is part of living in this beautiful and broken world. “Even youths will faint and be weary,” he says! Part of being human is that we go through seasons where we are simply tired and overwhelmed. But this realization about ourselves can point us to God, who “does not faint or grow weary.”
The Advent message of hope is that, though we grow weary, we will be renewed beyond our wildest dreams. Advent hope enables us to look to the future expectantly in order to receive joy and energy to take on today. When we practice Advent hope, we can recognize that things aren’t the way they used to be: we may not still run a mile in under eight minutes or get up from the couch without the joints in our bodies cracking and popping. Relationships may be difficult and need intentional repair.
But we can wait expectantly for God, who promises to renew our strength and give us wings like eagles. We must face the reality of weariness in our lives. The beauty of Advent is that we can honestly face it together as a community, as we are being renewed together.
- How do you experience feeling weary right now?
- What do you do to find rest when you are worn down?
- What does it look like for you to intentionally “wait for the Lord” in this season?
- How might trusting that God is at work to renew your weariness give you hope today?