JUNE 8, Isaiah 40:31

Lisa softly sang a Scripture song. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles...”

“Time to go,” called Dad. Reluctantly, Lisa turned and followed her parents to the car. Usually, she loved going to church retreats, but this year, Julie, her best friend, will not be there. Julie had died just two weeks ago. A tear trickled down Lisa’s cheek and she hastily rubbed it away as she slid into the back seat of the car, closed the door and fastened her seat belt.

“All set?” asked Dad. Lisa nodded. “I like the song you were singing,” said Mom. Biting her lip as another tear escaped, Lisa whispered, “That song was one of Julie’s favourites.”

“I remember hearing her sing it,” said Dad and as he began singing the song again, Mom and Lisa joined him.

“Dad, just what does it mean to ‘mount up with wings as eagles’?” asked Lisa when they finished singing. “We can’t really fly.”

Smiling, Dad replied. “The eagle is a unique bird, dear. Other birds try to avoid high winds and storms, but the eagle flies straight into them. It uses the violent winds to lift itself up high above the storm clouds.”

“Does that help it fly better and be safe?” asked Lisa.

“Yes,” Dad agreed, smiling at his daughter. “With God’s strength, you can be like an eagle. You can ‘fly’ straight into the storms of life instead of running away from them. That means accepting hurts and troubles – like the loneliness you feel from Julie’s death – to help you grow as a Christian.”

Brushing away her tears, Lisa nodded. “It still hurts, even though I know Julie’s in Heaven,” she said, “but I do want to ‘fly’ the way God wants me to. Julie would want that too. Will you and Mom help me, Dad?”

“We surely will,” Dad assured her.

Thought: What problems are you facing today? Are you sad because your mom or dad is out of work? Because what is happening in your life makes it seem like your world is falling apart? Remember that God loves you and wants to help you face your problems.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to remember that sometimes You allow clouds and storms of life to develop my character and make me become more Christ-like. I pray for strength to go through the difficult times in my life, whether they be a lot of schoolwork or problems at home. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.