pramsay posted on April 24, 2007 17:30 2821 views
Have You Ever Been On An Eagle’s Wings?

Perhaps you’re not into ornithology – the study of birds. Don’t worry about it. You don’t have to be a bird-watcher to appreciate lessons from the eagle. The very mention of an eagle conjures up images of size, strength, and swiftness. A hummingbird probably thinks an eagle is a giant. When God wanted to convey a vivid image of His care and support for the children of Israel He told Moses to use the metaphor of a mighty eagle. They would get the picture quickly.

After years of bondage and hardship, the Lord intervened with a series of powerful interventions in Egypt culminating in the death of the firstborn, the Passover, the Exodus and the crossing of the Red Sea. Now they are at the base of the mount of God in Sinai. They are on the very threshold of a new beginning when God would enter into a covenant of law with them as His special people. Did they know they were making history as they camped near Mount Sinai? Moses went mountain climbing to draw near to the Lord and God spoke to him from the mountain.

“…tell the people of Israel:
You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians,
and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice
and keep my covenant,
you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine…”
(Exodus 19:3-6)

What could be bigger and stronger and swifter than eagles’ wings? And where were they brought? God said to them: “I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.” If ever there was an image that should instill confidence in the people regarding God’s care and strength it would be the eagle. Management Leadership movies have been made paralleling the adult eagle with a leader/mentor who gives others wings to fly and soar into the skies of corporate management. Eagles are known for caringly taking their young out of the nest and teaching them to fly, using their mighty wings to catch or even carry their young if they encounter trouble in flight. What a beautiful metaphor of our caring and trustworthy Lord Himself. Maybe you’re encountering ‘trouble in flight’ as a Christian.

Many years later Moses composes a song and draws upon the eagle metaphor again to describe God’s might, power and attendant care for His people:

“As an eagle stirreth up her nest,
fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings,
taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
So the LORD alone did lead him (Jacob or Israel)…”
(Deuteronomy 32:11-12)

Dear child of God, like an eaglet in a nest, you have a Heavenly Father who knows what is best for you. The adult eagle knows when it is time to disturb the nest to teach the eaglets to fly and feed themselves. But all is done under His watchful eyes. He knows when to let you experience the wind currents and air pockets and He will always be above and underneath with all His strength to catch you, should you begin to doubt, falter or fall. He also knows when He needs to carry you on His strong pinions. His purposes are always to ‘bring you to Himself.’

How can we close a discussion on the eagle without mentioning Isaiah 40:31? It seems in this section of the Bible, we learn that we’ll be given our own eagle-like wings to be uplifted and soar emotionally and spiritually in difficult times if only we wait upon the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Our strength will be renewed.

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