Bird Tales

Deuteronomy 32:11-12 says, “Like an eagle stirs up its nest and hovers over its young; that spreads out its wings to catch them and carries them on its wings; so the Lord alone led him…”

As with the eagle – so with the Lord! The eagle builds its nest on the mountain cliff face, using first sticks and twigs, then lining it carefully with fur, feathers and grass. Two little eaglets hatch out into an ideally comfortable environment [a home]. Life is perfect in every respect. Meals are delivered regularly and there is nothing left to be desired. One may say they have excellent creature comforts!

But one day the mother eagle appears to go berserk and tears away the soft lining on the nest, leaving only sticks, twigs and thorns. Know doubt, the two fledglings are mystified at the dramatic change in their mother. Their home becomes so uncomfortable that they climb to the edge of the nest and look down at the forbidding rocks below. Then suddenly, the mother gives one of them a shove and it goes tumbling through space to apparent certain death. But swifter than the fall is the mother's flight, and just in time, she swoops downward and catches the eaglet on her broad wingspan. She then quickly bears the little one up to safety on the mountain edge. As with the eagle so with the Lord!

God wants us to trust and rely on Him in whatever we’re involved in. As we look to him, He alone will give is the strength to persevere. If ever you are tempted to give up, you can look to the Lord (your Heavenly Father) to renew your strength.

“Those whose hope is in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings of eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” - Isaiah 40:31

It is easy to become fascinated and intrigued by the eagle. And especially, the mother eagle! Besides shoving the eaglets out of their comfort zone, she has other ways of teaching them to fly. Mum decides exactly when she feels that her offspring are ready to fly. Naturally the eaglets are never keen or eager to leave the nest and attempt it. However, when it has become too uncomfortable for them to stay, they often clamber on to their mother’s back and the mother flies high, 1000 feet, then 2000 feet until she reaches around 5000 feet above the ground.

This journey is not for the fainthearted – it’s not time for the young eaglets to suffer from vertigo either! Suddenly, the mother tips one of the eaglets off and it goes hurtling toward the ground. It frantically flaps its wings but nothing happens. The earth looms closer and closer. Just as the eaglet is going to be splattered all over the rocks, the mother eagle swoops down and catches the eaglet. This process is repeated until the little bird can fly (note, the mother will carry it until then).

So it is in our Christian walk. When we first became believers we feel protected in the nest, but God soon takes us out of our comfort zone. He desires to have us “…soar on wings as eagles” and not cackle with a crowd of turkeys. Furthermore, eagles always look energetic and alert, but turkeys look confused and lethargic.

Psalm 103:5, “So that your youth is renewed like the eagles.” The belief that an eagle renews its strength and youthful appearance after shedding its feathers gave rise to this verse. Therefore, for you to renew your strength you must first pluck out everything that represents the “old man.” You must feel exposed and become vulnerable. You must love God enough to trust Him with this. It reflects your character! God want’s you to come of age - to have Christlike character. And the greatest evidence of your character is the degree to which you love God and then love others. But are you prepared to become vulnerable enough in love?

Notice, to soar on wings of eagles means to have total trust in the Lord. Without trust there can be no love. Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled; trust in God, trust also in Me.” John 14:1

In God’s word, “wings’ almost always represent safety - a place of security - a shield of protection. Remember your safety is reliant of complete trust!

Exodus 19:4-5 “…I bore [carried] you on eagles wings and brought you to Myself.”

Psalm 17:8 “Under the shadow of Your wings…”

Psalm 61:4 “In the shelter of Your wings…”

Malachi 4:2 “He shall arise with healing in His wings…”

Matthew 23:37 “How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…”

Chris Demetriou, 03/12/2006