Eagles

Eagles

"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." Isaiah 40:31

God has compared us to a lot of things. For example, we’re described as being like branches on a vine, or trees by a river, or a light on a hill; as sheep, as salt, as a runner in a race; even a wrestler, or a soldier or, as the text implies - an eagle. And God could have chosen a different bird. Take a chicken, for instance. Chickens are crowd followers. If a chicken sees a bunch of chickens running across the yard, he’ll take off after them. It doesn't matter that he doesn't know where they’re going, or even why they’re going where they’re going. He simply follows along because he doesn't want to miss out on the action.

Chickens will also squabble and fight over stuff in the yard. For instance, if one of ‘em finds a nice juicy bug to eat, suddenly they all want it, and they will chase each other all over the yard trying to take it away from each other. In fact, they can walk right past a bug or a grasshopper and pay absolutely no attention to it whatsoever. But the moment one of them decides he wants it, they all decide they want it and the chase is on. In other words, they’re content to live in the chicken yard, walking around with their eyes on the ground, scratching in the dirt looking for something to eat. Most of them will never try to fly – they’re earthbound birds.

Living the chicken life can never compare to living the eagle life. Chicken living is so limited; so confining; so predictable; so boring. But the eagle’s life? Ah. Now, that's a bird of a different feather. Because when we hear the word eagle, our minds envision a majestic creature soaring in the atmosphere, effortlessly riding the currents high above the earth. He’s the king of the sky, and master of his domain.

Unlike chickens, the female eagle is bigger and stronger than her male companion. They mate for life till death parts them, and both parents sit on the eggs, guard the nest, and feed and train the young. To the eagle, raising a family is a responsibility that belongs to both parents. And an eagle is born with its eyes and mouth wide open which keeps the parents pretty busy keeping that mouth filled because the young eagle has an insatiable appetite; the eaglet knows that when his mouth’s open, his parents are going to fill it with something good.

In Psalm 81:10, Asaph, one of David’s music directors wrote, "I am the Lord your God which brought you out of the land of bondage. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it." And just as eagle parents know what their babies need to eat to grow, God knows what His children need to live. Matthew 7:11 says, "If you then being evil know how to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?"

Interestingly, the word eagle means “one feeding with the beak.” What a wonderful typology of God – feeding His own by the words from His mouth. Just as the baby eagles depend and live on the food received from their parents’ mouth, so we depend and live on the food from God’s mouth. Matthew 4:4 describes it this way: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

In the eagle world, eagles subsist only on eagle food; nothing else can take the place of eagle food. It enables them to grow, mature and to become strong. Without the proper diet, the eaglets will grow weak and sickly, and eventually die. And so it is with us. You and I are to feast on God's food if we are to grow and become strong and mature. Anything else - anything less and we grow weak and die spiritually. Isaiah 55:2 asks this question: “Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food."

Life in the nest for the baby eagle is wonderful. Its mouth opens and is filled upon request. “This is the life,” the eaglet thinks. “I could stay here forever.” But there's something important that the baby soon discovers: eagles were born to fly. They are meant to soar to heavenly heights; to breathe a heavenly atmosphere. It's inherent in them. Their very nature demands it. It’s been placed there by God. So the eagle tendency is to mount up. We, too, were made to experience heavenly heights in the spirit; to spread our wings of faith and ride the heavenly winds of the Holy Spirit. It's inherent in us. Our new nature, as believers, demands it. It's placed within us by God. As children of God, there’s an inborn tendency in us to mount up and soar to spiritual levels we've never experienced before. Colossians 3: 1-2 says, "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”

One day, a farmer was out walking around his property when he found an eagle egg. So, he took it to the hen house and placed it under a setting hen that had several eggs already under her. In time, all the eggs hatched and out the eagle came which, to the hen’s way of thinking, was the oddest looking chicken she’d ever seen, and with the oddest voice she’d ever heard. When the other chicks chirped, this one screeched. When the hen clucked, all but this ugly one would come running. There seemed to be no understanding between them; they spoke two different languages. So, because he was odd, all the others picked and pecked at him. Of course, he was odd – he was an eagle who was trying to live the chicken life.

But one day while in the barnyard, a huge shadow passed over the little eagle: it was another eagle soaring high above. He looked down and saw the little eaglet, and seeing that it was one of his own kind, swooped down and gave a loud screech. The youngster looked up and heard, "What are you doing down there? You're not a chicken, you're an eagle. Eagles aren't made for barnyard living. The heavens are your domain. Come on up here."

Now the little fella wondered what to do. Up until now the barnyard had been home, but he really hadn't been happy there. He just didn't seem to fit in with barnyard living. Now, all of a sudden, the truth of who he was hit him like a ton of bricks. He’d discovered his true identity. It had become crystal clear. He wasn't a chicken; he was an eagle, and deep down inside he felt the urge to respond. But when he tried, he couldn't seem to get off the ground. So the adult screeched again, "Just make a jump and flap your wings. You can fly if you try." So, the little eaglet made a feeble jump, flapped his wings and landed on top of the barnyard fencepost. The adult screeched again, "Jump higher; try again. Make the jump and I'll sweep under you and carry you on my wings." The little eagle did what he’d been asked to do, and the adult did what he said he would do. A mighty jump of faith and the little eagle was riding on his “dad’s” wings on his first solo flight.

We are called to be eagles, but many of us have been content to live the chicken life, confined to the barnyard limitations of our spirit. A barnyard to the believer is any attitude, any mindset, any lifestyle that restricts us from being or accomplishing all that God has purposed for us to be. Our barnyard is that comfort zone we like to live in because it makes no demands of us that will challenge us to change. But God calls to us in our barnyard and challenges us to spread our wings of faith and come higher. And, some of us respond and get as high as the barnyard post and then settle there, feeling like we’ve really accomplished something. But we need to take another jump of faith and set our wings on the promises of God's Word and let the wind of the Holy Spirit lift us skyward.

But even non-barnyard eagles have to learn to fly. And that’s when the mother watches until all her babies in the nest are fully feathered. Then, when she thinks they’ve sufficiently matured, she begins to "stir the nest." With her beak she starts tearing out everything in the nest that makes it comfortable for her brood, making the nest so uncomfortable that her little ones don't want to stay there any longer.

She then begins the process of helping them develop strength in their wings. So, she hovers near the nest and begins flapping her wings furiously. As they watch her do this the little eagles begin to imitate mom by flapping their wings, too. And just before she takes her family out on their first solo flight, she’ll perch on the edge of the nest and inspect them. Noticing they have loose feathers sticking out all over, she begins to beat her wings again. Soon, all the loose feathers have been blown away and they’re ready for their flying lesson.

Has your nest been stirred lately? Have you found yourself experiencing the discomforts of the stirring of your nest? Is there an awareness that something just isn't right, but you're not sure what it is? Is your comfort zone being threatened since you’re a person who doesn't like change? Have you considered that maybe it's God stirring your nest? Maybe that’s His way of telling you that you've stayed in the nest long enough and that He doesn't want you to be a nest-dweller all your life. It's too confining; too limited. God doesn't want us to be a nest-sitters. We were meant to fly. So, sometimes, God has to tear up the nest to get us in the air.

Or, have you experienced the strong winds of the Holy Spirit's convicting power blowing into your life recently? Has God been dealing with those "loose feathers"? Has He been speaking to you about things that affect your spirituality and drag you down? Things you know you should be acting on, but are neglecting? Look up. Be encouraged. It’s God working in your life to help you get rid of those "loose feathers." He's getting you ready to mount up with eagles’ wings. He wants you to quit fluttering around in the nest and learn how to spread your wings of faith and fly.

Now, when mom sees that the loose feathers are blown away, she spreads her wings and lets out a screech. Somehow, the little eagles know that it’s a command to step out on mother's wings and secure themselves with their talons and beak to her big, strong feathers. Then, making sure her baby is securely set on her wing, mom lets out another screech and launches off the edge of the nest. She climbs into the sky while baby holds on for dear life. The baby’s never experienced anything like this before. He's going places he's never gone before. She's seeing things she's never seen before. It's thrilling.

But just as the eaglet is having the time of its life, mom suddenly flutters her wings and shakes the baby loose – right in the middle of the air – hundreds of feet from the ground. It's solo time. But when mom shakes the little one loose, she just doesn't say, "Well kid, you're on your own now; good luck and have a nice life.” Instead, she slowly begins to circle around the surprised little eagle, keeping a watchful eye on him as he or she flounders and flutters, trying to fly for the first time. Furiously, the baby flaps its wings, turns somersaults, and does everything to try to stay aloft, but gradually starts to lose altitude. But when mom sees her little one get dangerously close to the ground, she swoops down, snares her baby with her claw and carries him or her up to start the process all over again. Each day she repeats this until finally the little eagle’s wings have become strong and they’re able to stay aloft, soaring just as effortlessly as the parent.

Maybe the two wings of the parent eagle can be compared to the Word of God; both the Old and the New Testaments. And the feathers can be thought of as the individual promises found in His Word. God spreads His Word before us and commands us to step out on it, grasping firmly to His promises. And just as the little eagle experienced an unexpected shaking that caused him to lose his grip, even so we, too, may experience a shaking of our faith that can cause us to lose our hold on the promises of God. But that’s not the time to throw up our hands in despair and quit. Because just as the parent watches over her brood to make sure they don't crash to the ground, God watches over His own to keep us from falling. He lifts us up to try again. "He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft. The Lord alone led them.” (Deuteronomy 32:10-12)

So, I’ve been thinking lately – are we soaring like an eagle, or living like a chicken?

Grace,

Randy