Learning to fly

Learning to fly

But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

(Isaiah 40:31)

On many occasions I have seen paragliders in Switzerland soaring above the Alps. They start by laying out their parachutes. Then they walk towards a mountain edge. Next, they run, and finally they fly. Sometimes they take one passenger with them to experience the joy of flight. It takes a lot of courage to run off the side of a mountain with a stranger!

But our Christian experience is not the same, because God works differently. To begin with, God is not a stranger, and He doesn’t start from the ground, but from heaven. He takes us up into His presence to see things from where He is. Flying is the first thing we do. I remember the first time I saw a bald eagle in America soaring above the lake where we were sailing. They can see a rabbit clearly from two miles away. Coming into the presence of God to enjoy communion with Him through prayer and reading His word gives a view from heaven. This view includes the vastness of the whole counsel and the purposes of God. From this high place, God gives us the daily encouragement and guidance we need to walk with Him in all the practical details of our lives. At the end of Deuteronomy, in chapter 34, God took Moses to mount Nebo to show him the whole of the Promised Land. God can take our breath away with the scale and majesty of His counsels. But He also overwhelms us by the interest and care He has in our lives.

In God’s presence we begin to understand God’s greatness and God’s nearness. His word provides us with clarity and focus, helping us to understand His will and the direction He wants us to take. We are empowered and inspired to run and not be tired. Spiritual energy and fruitfulness come from communion with Christ. The Lord Jesus makes this clear in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” Jesus provides all that is needed to follow and serve Him. The Lord was characterised by His service, which brought pleasure to the Father’s heart. We are to be characterised by the same willingness to serve: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).

We are also enabled to walk and not be fatigued. Walking faithfully with God gives us the energy to serve God (see Luke 24:33). We experience a life paced by the Saviour: “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). It is by waiting, in communion with the Father and Son by the Holy Spirit’s power, that we see things from heaven, we serve with full hearts and learn to become like our Lord.