Strong

February 14, 2024 Georgia Tanner

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him]

Will gain new strength and renew their power;

They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun];

They will run and not become weary,

They will walk and not grow tired.

Isaiah 40:28-31 Amplified

Praying without ceasing. Some days this is where we live. When the hurts are too deep. The prognosis too grim. The future too unknown. The path too dark. I don’t know how you walk through it without faith in a sovereign God. A God who rescues when all seems lost. A God who is proven and true and faithful when our faith is running thin.

I grew up in a home running on faith. It was always humming below the surface, in the background, holding everything together. I don’t know what it is to be in a place where God is not. I imagine it would be horribly lonely.

In my rebellious 20s and 30s, I thought I could stand on my own strength. I was determined to. God in His mercy allowed me a long length of rope to wander. When He gently pulled me back in close to Him, I was kickin’ and screamin’ and crying. It was not my idea of fun. But the lies I had tangled myself in had a good hold on me, like sticky cotton candy caught in my hair. I had stayed too long at the fair and when the lights came on, I was horrified at the cheapness of it all.

God dropped me down in a lovely church (much to my confusion!) with people who were not at all like me – thank God! And especially surprising, He sat me down in Lauri Hunter's living room. I suddenly was in a women's small group studying Search for Significance and realizing slowly, oh so slowly, that I found my significance in temporary smoke and mirrors.

Let me tell you about Lauri – in case you don't know her. Polio from her son's immunization. Paralyzed from the shoulders down. That means a wheelchair she expertly drove by her breath and around-the-clock helpers to assist with – well, everything. At the time we met, she was suffering from panic attacks so severe she had become housebound. Through that sweet developing friendship, I learned what strong looked like. It wasn't being able to stand on your own two feet. It was total dependence on God and His limitless strength. It was gentleness tempered with stubbornness. It was choosing to fight because overwise you were going to be sitting in the corner cussing and fussing by yourself.

Those are the kind of women I need in my life. The ones who are constantly holding onto the hand of God. For dear life. Because without Him they cannot stand. They dare not move.

These days I am praying without ceasing to a God who does not cease. I have friends and family who need to be strong, but their knees have been knocked out from under them. They cannot make it through another day. Life is just too hard. The pill too bitter.

My morning starts, my day ends, and the middle finds me there – sending up prayers for my dear sisters who are too worn out and bewildered and in shock to pray. It is okay. We are praying for you while you are doing all you can to stay in the fight. Your picture is on my dresser. Your name is written in my bible. Your needs are on my tongue.

Hold on, my beloved! We are lifting your arms to fight the battle. Our God will not abandon you. He will lift you up. He will renew your strength. He will make you strong. Hold on.

Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth

Does not become tired or grow weary;

There is no searching of His understanding.

He gives strength to the weary,

And to him who has no might He increases power.

Even youths grow weary and tired,

And vigorous young men stumble badly,

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him]

Will gain new strength and renew their power;

They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun];

They will run and not become weary,

They will walk and not grow tired. Isaiah 40:28-31

My note about this song: last week as I pulled music for my blog posting about Fleeting Wildflowers, Anne Wilson’s This House was playing on my Pandora. A pop-up announced that she was playing the following night in Atlanta at the Roxy. There were tickets available. We went. When her voice soared on high with a powerful stretching of one note after the bridge on the song Strong, I thought I was going to go through the roof. She has been there. She knows what it is to not be strong – but her God is! I hope you fall in love with her, like I have. She is one of the women I need in my life to encourage me to be – strong.

Strong by Anne Wilson

I'm strong when I got nothing

I'm strong even when I'm weak

'Cause the strong arms of my Savior

Are holding on to me

I hit my knees with my hands held high

Saying dear Lord Jesus you know

I can't do this on my own

Lord knows I've tried but I'm good at falling down

Thank God you're good at picking me up off the ground

The world's gonna try to break me

But I know the one who makes me

Strong

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFk2iYq4Zjk

This is dedicated every day to my dear sister Pam who stands beside her husband while he cannot. God will make you strong.