Chaplaincy News

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 and women 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 40:21-31 

It’s always about this time of year that weariness sets in for me as we start winding down to the final weeks of school. Assessments are drawing to a close, all of our core curriculum has been taught, and we begin to look to next year and the transitions that lay ahead of us. There will be end of year events, orientations to new year levels and subjects, full calendars with lunches and dinners to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali, or any other seasonal celebration you might partake in as a family. And on top of all of this is the exhaustion that comes from the culmination of months of uncertainty we have experienced as a Shelford community this year. I wonder if you can relate to this? 

Whenever I feel weariness setting in and I wonder how I might get through the coming days or weeks, I cast my mind to this beautiful passage of Scripture. It describes the human tiredness of waiting and longing, affirming that the reality of our fallibility is not new for humankind but rather something that has been experienced since the beginning of time. But it doesn’t stop there. The Scripture describes the strength and unfathomable understanding of God; a loving presence who never grows weary or tired and in whom we can trust and place our hope. And when we do, we receive this transforming promise: 

“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.” 

This is true for all of us: young, old, weary, disappointed, resentful, burnout, despairing.  

Our strength can be renewed.  

We can run and not grow weary.  

We can keep walking, even in times of uncertainty or change, and not grow faint.  

I pray that this is an encouragement to you this week.  

Erin Juers

Chaplain