The majestic African cheetah is known for reaching speeds of 112 kph (70 mph) in short bursts, but it doesnt do so well over distances. A BBC news item reports that four members of a northeast Kenyan village actually outran two cheetahs in a 4-mile footrace.
It seems that two large cheetahs had been feeding on village goats. So the four men came up with a plan to stop them. They waited until the hottest part of the day and then gave chase to the cats, tracking them down when the animals couldnt run any farther. The exhausted cheetahs were safely captured and turned over to the Kenyan wildlife service for relocation.
Can we see ourselves in the cheetah? Our strengths might seem impressive, but they are short-lived. As the prophet Isaiah reminds us, we are like wildflowers that soon wither under the heat of the sun (40:6-8).
Yet it is at the end of ourselves that our God offers us comfort. A surprise rises up to meet those who wait on the Lord. In His time and ways, He can renew our strength. By His Spirit He can enable us to rise up on wings like eagles or to run and not be weary, [to] walk and not faint (v.31).
INSIGHT
: The prophets often carry a message of doom. Todays passage, however, is one of encouragement. Isaiah tells Gods people to have hope because the God whose power created the ends of the earth is the God who lifts them up when they are weary.
Kenyans win the 26.2 mile Marathon in Boston nearly every year.
Rosie Ruiz was a cheetah.
Good evening, Mayor, and thank you for today’s sustenance for body and soul.
Have a restful weekend.