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El-Olam


Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 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. (Isaiah 40:28-31) 

EL-OLAM “The everlasting God”
          "The Ever Ready Bunny, he keeps going and going." I don't mean to be disrespectful to God but that's what came to mind as I read, "the everlasting God." He keeps going and going, too, far longer than any battery-powered bunny ever will. In fact, this passage tells us that He has enough power and strength that He has it to spare. He can give it to us.
         I'm not as much of an Ever Ready Bunny any more. It seems to me that I used to be able to go more, do more, be more. Now, I get tired more. Part of that is physical, but I think I get emotionally tired more, spiritually tired more, mentally tired more. It's comforting to think that after thousands of years, God not only doesn't get tired and doesn't need naps, but He has enough of what we need that He can share it with us and not be depleted. 
        The word used for "renew" includes a meaning of exchange. God can give us some of His strength, power and endurance. The translation I learned for Isaiah 40:31 is that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. The NIV says those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. Have you ever noticed how hope or expectation motivates and energizes? Your phone rings and the person calling says, "Hi! Are you home? We'll be there in ten minutes." You've never cleaned a house so quickly. 
         Experiments were done with lab rats. They weren't nice experiments, but they helped scientists discover something about hope. The put rats in a vat in the dark, and the rats drown, in some cases after only a few minutes. They put other rats in a vat with a light that showed them the rim of the vat. Those rats kept swimming for hours, because they could see the possibility of escape. 
         Our tiredness, even our physical tiredness, has a connection to hope. If we foresee a positive result, we can keep going for much longer than if we can foresee no positive results. God can provide supernatural strength and endurance out of His abundance of power and energy, and He can provide strength and endurance through our hope in Him. He is everlastingly ever ready to do so.

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