Tuesday, August 23, 2011

The Eagle

Below is a devotion that I gave at the school I work at. Some of my online friends have asked that I show it to them, so what better place than my blog. I have also included the painting I was inspired to create. Hope you like it!


One of my favorite symbols in the Bible is the eagle. An incredible creation of God that He describes in an incredible way for us.

Did you know that we were made to fly? To fly like an eagle? I am not suggesting that we should all have wings growing out of our backs. But remember yourself as a child. Was not one of your longings to be able to fly, to lift off and soar like a bird? It's our longing for freedom...

Isaiah 40:31, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
The "Overcoming" this scripture talks about, gives us a picture of how we are designed to live. It means freedom from self, freedom from our circumstances and freedom from others' responses. Our souls were made to live in the upper atmosphere. Our eyes were made to look down from these heavenly heights. Trials assume a very different aspect when looked down on from above. Our soul is powerless to overcome trials, sorrows and temptations on the earthly plane. What seems like an impassable wall on it's own level, becomes an insignificant line when viewed from heavenly places. When the soul has mounted on wings into the clear atmosphere of God's presence, these troubles will lose their power to harm or distress us.
Scripture often refers to the eagle as a symbol of the renewing process. Psalm 103:5 says that "our youth will be renewed like the eagle." The eagle is the only bird whose whole physical strength is literally renewed after each molting season. In other words, only after the eagle has "put off" his old feathers, so to speak, does he actually receive "new" physical strength to soar above his enemies."Youth" here in this scripture, could be understood as the "original image" that God created us to have - His Love, His Wisdom and His Power. As we renew our minds, just as the eagle's feathers are renewed, we will receive his strength and be transformed back into God's image, which is what God intended for us all along.
Another reason I think God uses the eagle as a symbol of our renewal and transformation is because the eagle again comes from the only bird family that has "telescopic sight," a kind of "zoom-in” focus lens. An eagle can search out objects literally miles away (indistinguishable to the human eye). They can see a rabbit from over a mile away. This, of course, increases their ability to judge and discern the true situation.
It's the same with us. Our minds, when renewed by God's Spirit, have the same supernatural ability. We are able to judge, discern and pick up things that the natural eye (natural mind) would never be able to see or understand. We are given the supernatural wisdom and ability to discern the true situation and see everything that happens to us from God's vantage point.
It is a blessing that God arranges things in our lives that teach us to fly like the eagle. One such way is seen in Deuteronomy 32:11 where it says: like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.

When the mother eagle feels they are ready, she teaches her young ones to fly by stirring up the nest and making it so uncomfortable that they are forced to leave it and commit themselves to the unknown world of the air outside. They of course resist it because of the fear of the unknown, but they must put their trust in their mother as they take their first leap of faith. The mother spreads her wings to catch them and carries them aloft should they need it. Once airborne, they realize what they were born to do. And just so God does with us. He stirs up our nest or uncomfortable situation, and pushes us over the edge - forcing us to fly – exactly what we were born to do. And once airborne we look down from Gods perspective, and find ourselves in a peaceful resting place and able to see things as they truly are. And so with this in mind, we can accept with thankfulness, every trial that compels us to use our wings, growing them strong and fit for the highest flying, whilst being transformed and renewed by Gods mighty power.