If you were approached by a genie wanting to grant you one wish for any superhero power, what would you ask for? It’s a strange question, but seriously, take a moment and think about it. What superpower would you want and why?
My first thought: ask for something I could use in the battle between good and evil––like the ability to open people’s minds to understand truth versus lies. But this superpower risks grave repercussions like when someone asks, “Do you mind staying an extra hour?” or “How do these jeans look on me?” No, I don’t think opening people’s minds to full truth is a superpower for which I want to take responsibility.
After careful review, which took more time than I care to admit, my superpower wish would be… drum roll, please… to fly!
Can you imagine? I never really thought about having the ability to fly. But now that I am thinking about it, how cool would it be to straighten a dashing cape, push off, and jet into the blue horizon? Talk about the ultimate rush! I would love it––as long as we’re merely playing around. But because we’re now superheroes with this power (yes, I’m making the assumption that you’d join me in this superpower), we’d have to fly in the infamous battle of good v. evil. Have we thought this through? Once we take the first leap to go save someone, how would we know where we’re going? Internal GPS wasn’t an option with the “one wish” plan. Neither was the ultrasonic hearing that allows us to distinguish the voices of those in distress. And jiminy cricket, the commercial airliners aren’t respecting our airspace! Maybe having only one superpower with no augmenting side-powers isn’t enough.
All kidding aside, many of us wish we could fly in life.
Just once, we’d like to truly soar. To break free of limitations that keep us down. To break free of everything that holds us back. Physically or metaphorically, we want to fly!
We may pursue moments of escape, of adventure, of thrill and adrenaline. But even if we were to skydive, hang glide, or float in a hot air balloon, we’re not mounting up on wings like birds. We’re not soaring. Gravity pulls us down and we’re falling. Back to reality. Short-lived experiences of escape, whatever they might be, don’t allow us to rise up. They don’t help us break free. To truly rise above real life, we must learn to soar.
God teaches us how.
“Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will mount up and soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31
We soar by tapping into God’s power. By allowing Him to be the wind beneath our wings that lifts us to new heights. By placing our hope securely in Christ because His steadfast character will never change. By walking with Him day-by-day as He guides us through our dark valleys to the other side.
We soar by resting in Him so He can renew our strength and prepare us for the season ahead.
Those who trust in God enough to wait for Him and learn from Him will soar like never before. And nothing compares to flying the mountains and valleys of life with God Himself.
We can fly!