Hope

From what I learnt from Tim Keller's book which I copied and pasted in my last post, I thought I'd study Isaiah 40.29-31 in that way.

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 hope in 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 be faint.

I really want to be strengthened and soar on wings like eagles. I feel weary of the race and stumble along much more than I run and soar. What is the condition of being given this strength and renewal? It's promised for those whose hope is in the LORD. But what does that actually mean? I realised I couldn't really explain hope very well.The cross references I looked up about hope talked about glory, future and active verbs such as putting, taking hold of, holding on unswervingly. I listened to a sermon on this passage and found it so helpful in coming to a better understanding about what it means to hope as believers. Here is the link.

In this sermon Robert A.Vogel points out that hope is also translated wait, which is looking expectantly and eagerly with hope. 

Vogel:

Hope is a disposition of soul that always looks future. The problem with complaining is that we get stuck in the present:

Why do you complain, Jacob?

Why do you say,  Israel,

'My way is hidden from the LORD:

my cause is disregarded by my God'?

40.27

We want to fix it,we are fix it people. Or we want God to fix it in the way we want him to. Verse 31 is a call not to fix it but to wait in expectant faith and hope in God.  

What is your stress in life? You have two choices with it. To live in verse 27 or in verse 31. If you live in verse 27 your approach will be to complain against the problem and against God because God won't fix it. This leads to distress which leads to despair leading to spiritual defeat not victory.

If you choose verse 31, you will deal with distress God's way. You will have a renewed vision of his incomparable greatness (see the whole of Isaiah 40). Fix your mind on those realities of God. Fix your hope in him. Wait patiently on him. Remember he knows what he's doing and you'll find his strength to be all that you need.