Renew your Youth

He pushed off with one foot and jumped on the back of the grocery cart. As he came zipping through the parking lot he realized I was there and watching. He broke into a slow smile. Then we both began to laugh outloud. His gray hair didn't match his actions, but I understood.

Don't you wish you could take a pill to make you feel young again? Or perhaps go to the library, and renew yourself instead of your book? You can't take a youth pill, but you can be renewed.

God has a wonderful renewal plan. Even though the youth get tired and quit you don't have to do that. You can actually begin to ascend like an eagle, run like an athlete and walk through your everyday commitments, and not collapse under the weight. Isaiah 40:31.

All He asks of you is that you show up for this invigorating infusion. He asks you to wait on him. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” So what does wait mean? Should we sit until he shows up? Or wait on him like a waitress waits on a customer? Perhaps we should rest and let him do it all? What does it mean to “wait on the Lord?”

“Wait” in the original language comes from a root word that means to bind together by twisting. Our English word “wait” suggests we sit still and do nothing. That is not what the Lord is talking about here. We need to interact with him in order to renew our strength. Thus the example of a waitress waiting on a customer is closer to the meaning. A waitress comes to serve you. So we, too, need to ask what the LORD would like and then humbly serve it to him.

Scripture: “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.” KJV

Prayer: Lord, I humbly bind myself to you and ask you to renew my strength.

 

Surprise Birth Announcements

Don't you love to get birth announcement? They come in surprising ways today. Facebook. Email. Snailmail. My son grinned as he handed me an envelope with an ultrasound of my grandson inside.

Years ago my first child was introduced with a surprise announcement. I married and moved immediately to another state. My family worried a lot. So when I became pregnant I chose not to mention it by phone or mail. After 11 month I came back home, and put her into their arms by way of announcement. Surprise!

But can you imagine the shock if you were given two announcements at the same time...by none other than an angel named Gabriel. According to Luke this is what happened to Mary. Why was it done this way? Why two announcements?

In the first chapter of Luke, Mary is told,"Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son..." Oh, and by the way "your cousin Elizabeth she hath also conceived a son...and this is the sixth month with her. For with God nothing is impossible."

Mary may have thought, My impossibe situation is that I am a virgin, and I'm going to have a  baby in 9 months. I believe the angel. I do.

But Elizabeth's impossible situation is that she is old and barren. Gabriel just said she is six months along. Hey, she will be showing!

Suddenly Mary decides that she hasn't seen cousin Elizabeth in a long time. Scripture says, "So Mary arose and went...with haste...and entered in the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth."

Elizabeth answers with a loud voice to tell her "the baby leaped in my womb for joy...there shall be a performance of those things which were told from the Lord." Elizabeth was telling Mary. He's been here, too. It's going to happen to you exactly as Gabriel said.

Perhaps Elizabeth even put Mary's hand on her moving belly. We do know Mary stayed three months, and watched Elizabeth's and her own body change.

Nothing is impossible. God is come in the flesh. It's not to late, nor is it too early. If the LORD announces something over your life then you are expecting. You are pregnant with a promise.