There is no thrill in walking; it is the test of all the stable qualities. To "walk and not faint" is the highest reach possible for strength. The word "walk" is used in the Bible to express the character - "John looking on Jesus as He walked, said, Behold the Lamb of God!" There is never anything abstract in the Bible, it is always vivid and real. God does not say - Be spiritual, but - "Walk before Me."

When we are in an unhealthy state physically or emotionally, we always want thrills. In the physical domain this will lead to counterfeiting the Holy Ghost; in the emotional life it leads to inordinate affection and the destruction of morality; and in the spiritual domain if we insist on getting thrills, on mounting up with wings, it will end in the destruction of spirituality.

The reality of God's presence is not dependent on any place, but only dependent upon the determination to set the Lord always before us. Our problems come when we refuse to bank on the reality of His presence.

The experience the Psalmist speaks of - "Therefore will we not fear, though . . ." will be ours when once we are based on Reality, not the consciousness of God's presence but the reality of it - Why, He has been here all the time!

At critical moments it is necessary to ask guidance, but it ought to be unnecessary to be saying always - "O Lord, direct me here, and there." Of course He will! If our common-sense decisions are not His order, He will press through them and check; then we must be quiet and wait for the direction of His presence.

Bearing the burden of crushing weight actually gives Christians wings.

This may sound like a contradiction in terms, but it is a blessed truth. While enduring a severe trial, David cried, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest” (Psalm 55:6). Yet before he finished his meditation, he seems to have realized that his wish for wings was attainable, for then he said, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22).

The word “burden” is described in my Bible commentary as being “what Jehovah has given you.” The saints’ burdens are God-given, leading us to wait upon Him. And once we have done so, the burden is transformed into a pair of wings through the miracle of trust, and the one who was weighted down “will soar on wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31).

One day when walking down the street, On business bent, while thinking hard About the “hundred cares” which seemed Like thunder clouds about to break In torrents, Self-pity said to me: “You poor, poor thing, you have too much To do. Your life is far too hard. This heavy load will crush you soon.”

A swift response of sympathy Welled up within. The burning sun Seemed more intense. The dust and noise Of puffing motors flying past With rasping blast of blowing horn Incensed still more the whining nerves, The fabled last back-breaking straw To weary, troubled, fretting mind.

“Ah yes, it will break and crush my life; I cannot bear this constant strain Of endless, aggravating cares; They are too great for such as I.”

So thus my heart consoled itself, “Enjoying misery,” when lo! A “still small voice” distinctly said, “’Twas sent to lift you—not to crush.”

I saw at once my great mistake. My place was not beneath the load But on the top! God meant it not That I should carry it. He sent It here to carry me. Full well He knew my incapacity Before the plan was made. He saw A child of His in need of grace And power to serve; a puny twig Requiring sun and rain to grow; An undeveloped chrysalis; A weak soul lacking faith in God.

He could not help but see all this And more. And then, with tender thought He placed it where it had to grow— Or die. To lie and cringe beneath One’s load means death, but life and power Await all those who dare to rise above.

Our burdens are our wings; on them We soar to higher realms of grace; Without them we must ever roam On plains of undeveloped faith, (For faith grows but by exercise In circumstance impossible).

O paradox of Heaven. The load We think will crush was sent to lift us Up to God! Then, soul of mine, Climb up! Nothing can e’er be crushed Save what is underneath the weight.

How may we climb! By what ascent Will we crest the critical cares Of life! Within His word is found The key which opens His secret stairs; Alone with Christ, secluded there, We mount our loads, and rest in Him.

MARY BUTTERFIELD

Those who wait upon the Lord shall obtain a marvelous addition to their resources: they shall obtain wings! They become endowed with power to rise above things. Men who do not soar always have small views of things.

Wings are required for breadth of view. The wing-life is characterized by a sense of proportion. To see things aright, we must get away from them. An affliction looked at from the lowlands may be stupendous; looked at from the heights, it may appear little or nothing. These “light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17). What a breadth of view!

And here is another great quotation: “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

This is a bird’s-eye view. It sees life as a whole. How mighty the bird from which the picture is taken! “Like eagles!” What strength of wing! Such is to be ours if we wait upon the Lord. We shall be able to soar above disappointment—no matter how great—and to wing our way into the very presence of God. Let us live the wing-life!

The little bird sat on a slender limb, Upward swinging, And though wind and rain were rough with him, Still kept singing.

“O little bird, quick, seek out your nest!” I could not keep from calling; “The bleak winds tear your tender breast, Your tiny feet are falling.”

“More need for song When things go wrong, I was not meant for crying; No fear for me,” He piped with glee, “My wings are made for flying!”

My heart had been dark as the stormy sky. In my sorrow, With the weight of troubles long passed by, And the morrow.

“O little bird, sing!” I cried once more, “The sun will soon be shining. See, there’s a rainbow arching o’er The storm cloud’s silver lining.”

I, too, will sing Through everything; It will teach blessing double; Nor yet forget. When rude winds fret, To fly above my trouble.

SELECTED Wing-power gives us the gift of soaring, and we see how things are related one to another. Wide soaring gives wide seeing!

There is a fable about the way birds first got their wings. The story goes that initially they were made without them. Then God made the wings, set them down before the wing less birds, and said to them, “Take up these burdens and carry them.”

The birds had sweet voices for singing, and lovely feathers that glistened in the sunshine, but they could not soar in the air. When asked to pick up the burdens that lay at their feet, they hesitated at first. Yet soon they obeyed, picked up the wings with their beaks, and set them on their shoulders to carry them.

For a short time the load seeme d heavy and difficult to bear, but soon, as they continued to carry the burden and to fold the wings over their hearts, the wing s grew attached to their little bodies. They quickly discovered how to use them and were lifted by the wings high into the air. The weights had become wings.

This is a parable for us. We are the wingless birds, and our duties and tasks are the wings God uses to lift us up and carry us heavenwa rd. We look at our burdens and heavy loads , and try to run from them, but if we will carry them and tie them to our hearts, they will become wings. And on them we can then rise and soar toward God.

There is no burden so heavy that when lifted cheerfully with love in our hearts will not become a blessing to us. God intends for our tasks to be our helpers; to refuse to bend our shoulders to carry a load is to miss a new opportunity for growth. J. R. M ILLER

No matter how overwhelming, any burden God has lovingly placed with His own hands on our shoulders is a blessing. FREDERICK WILLIAM FABER

The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 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.

My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

If God be for us, who can be against us?

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

We are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Arise therefore, and be doing, and the Lord be with thee.

In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them.

He whom thou lovest is sick.

My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

We faint not; . . . though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

In him we live, and move, and have our being.

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.

The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

When I am weak, then am I strong.—God shall be my strength.—He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.—Let him take hold of my strength.

Cast thy burden upon the Lord , and he shall sustain thee.—The arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob.

I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast de-fied.—Plead my cause, O Lord , with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.