Isaiah 40:27-31 -- We fall; but our faith will renew our strength

I discovered my cousin's TedX presentation yesterday and in it he said he was old but he's younger than me and I'm not old! :-)

Then today I read "Even young people get tired then stumble and fall." and I have to smile.

What a treat to know that "those who trust the Lord will find new strength.  They will be strong like eagles soaring upward on wings; they will walk and run without getting tired."

Thank you Lord!

Isaiah 40:12-26 -- Who can compare to God

The best olympic high jumper can't jump over the CN Tower anymore than the best Christian can compare to God Himself. 

Father, I thank You that You rule even though we have free will.  I don't understand how all of that works but You do so Lord, please help me to listen, trust and obey.

Isaiah 40:6-8 Get excited! The Lord cares!

You know what, our lives are just one dot in the eternal line of life but God's word never changes.  The Lord is coming to rule and He will reward His people.   The Lord cares for his nation.  He carries the lambs in his arms while gently leading the mother sheep.

Isaiah 40:3-5 -- Prepare for Christ

Isaiah said it and so did Christ; we must prepare the soil, we must prepare for rain, we must prepare for the coming of our Lord.

I find that most Canadians are firmly planted.  They don't change quickly.  The stat's say that whatever church we were born into is the church where we'll maintain our membership; even if we attend another church!  If we, even as nominal Christians, are so rooted in our traditions why would a non-Christian be any different. 

As such we must prepare the soil for the seed of God to germinate.  For each person this preparation is different.  Some require a lot of fertilizer, some require rocks to be removed, some require...

Father, I have little idea how You are preparing the soil around me so help me to be obedient to the next little thing You tell me to do.

Isaiah 39 -40:2 -- The response to receiving.

Here people have come to Hezekiah to celebrate his healing and he shows them his stuff; not the Healer.

It makes me ask the question Lord, how do I best receive to celebrate Your people and Your goodness?

...and the answer is "Encourage my people! Give them comfort. Speak kindly"

Isaiah 38:21-22 Healing usually requires action

I know that guilt, stress etc manifests itself in physical symptoms.  This is why I believe, being able to place our lives into God's hands is the first step towards healing.  I also know that some people are healed instantly but in many cases healing requires action.

I'm thankful for the churches who established the concept of hospitals.  The St hospitals and the Grace hospitals and the.... Thanks too for the doctors, nurses and cleaning staff who use their knowledge and skills to help make this world a better place.

Now as we add technology to the mix Lord, please help us not to forget that in an instant you can kill all the power we have. Lord help us not to forget that ultimately only You are God.

Thank you for hearing our prayer "God keep our land, glorious and free" and now Lord, I pray that you raise up a generation who are extremely serious about walking the walk with You. (thanks for already showing me the birth of this)

Isaiah 38:9-20 -- Tough times are growth times

"It was for my own good that I had such hard times. But your love protected me from doom in the deep pit and you turned your eyes away from my sins." Isaiah 38:17

"When the going gets tough the tough get going"

"Lord, protect my heart"

"Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see."

I find that when life is easy I take too much for granted.  I don't value the waiting, the saving up, the dreaming as I should.  I've discovered that the dreams are just as much fun and can last longer than the real thing.  I think that can happen with my God experiences too.  I can get so excited about "the ministry/mission" that I miss the whole point of my relationship.

Father, please help me to enjoy the gifts You give to me and delight in spending time with You.