Waiting to Soar
DAY 3: Wednesday, January 31, 2024
REMINDER: Set your Friday evening free and join us @the Place, 7pm as we break the fast together and spend time in worship and prayers!
Read Isaiah 40:31 / Isa 59:2 / Isaiah 54:7-8 / Hebrews 12:1-2
When flying, one thing that airplane passengers must check is the weight of their baggage. Passengers are only allowed a limited amount. During airport check-in, baggage is meticulously checked and weighed. Baggages are checked not only for unlawful items but their weight. Each baggage must comply. One may wonder why?
According to a website of a known airline; “The safe operation of flights requires that the weight of the aircraft is known so that a weight-based load and balance calculation can be made for the flight. Each aircraft has a [MTOW] maximum takeoff weight for a safe takeoff. The weight of the aircraft also impacts the range the aircraft can fly.” As passengers we may not necessarily care about this. In fact, we may feel inconvenienced about such restrictions. But those who know- the ones who built the airplanes to fly, observing such baggage rules and restrictions affect safety in take-off and the range of distance an airplane makes. Who knew that the weight of baggage affects the way an airplane flies and soars?
The same is true for us.
Isaiah 40:31 shares a beautiful promise to God’s people. They are given a promise that when they wait upon God, they will fly and soar like eagles. Isaiah however makes it clear. Before this promise finds its fulfillment, God’s people must first deal with sin. Sin is like excess baggage or an unlawful item that we must let go so that we can fly and soar.
To be in full flight like a soaring eagle, we must deal with this. Excess baggage not only keeps the plane from soaring high. It also drags the plane from flying fast, slowing down the plane. Excess baggage affects the distance an airplane makes. Worse, excess baggage is a safety hazard that can cause casualties. The same can be said of our lives.
Sin is like excess baggage that becomes a hindrance in our soaring. We will not soar like eagles when we carry sin. Sin drags us and slows us down. Furthermore, sin can be disastrous. God’s people in Isaiah were meant to soar. Instead of soaring however, God brought them down. He sent them crashing like an airplane because of their sin. More heartbreaking than this was that a wedge was created between them and God. Sin made God hide his face from them. Isaiah 59:2
Yet Isaiah also shows that God will not remain hidden [Isa 54:7-8]. But one thing we must do. We must deal with the excess baggage in our lives. We must deal with sin so that we may soar like eagles. Hebrews 12:1-2
REFLECT
Let us pause and wait and reflect on our hearts. Is there sin in our hearts?
Allow God to point out the heavy baggage in our hearts and lives. He will show you.
Confess these sins, receive His forgiveness, and begin to soar in gratitude and praise.
