“They Shall Renew Their Strength”
Here are a few thoughts on the eagle. You will find quite a number of similarities in the life of a Christian who knows and loves Jesus. Many more thoughts on this subject could be said that are not written here; but, all I know is that,
"Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength. They will mount
up with wings like Eagles. They will run and not get tired. They
will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:31
The mighty eagle has what could be termed as “binocular vision.” An eagle has the amazing ability to very accurately judge how far away things are. Their eye sight is much more superior than that of other birds.
If you were to walk in the woods where this mighty bird lives, the eagle would usually be hard to see; but you can always know the eagle’s presence, by it’s very distinctive noise.
With a wing span of up to 7 ½ feet, eagles are built to effortlessly soar upon the air currents. As soon as the eagle spots a prey, they descend down at a dizzying speed of up to 100 miles/hour, using their sharp talons to snatch their prey, with unmatched speed and precision. I have a 1989 Dodge Ram Cargo Van that won’t even go that fast! Sometimes; we need to be like the eagle with critical church members who are creating a storm.
The eagle represents a species of birds that have overcome and adapted to a very damaged environment. In recent history, the eagle’s egg shells were developing far too thin, and their population was thus fast decreasing. The common use of DDT at the time, was doing it’s grim work. But, somehow, the eagle has survived, even though their environment has been tainted with killer poison.
Did you know that an eagle knows when the storm is approaching long
before it breaks? The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for
the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the
wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm
rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.
The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift
it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.
When the storms of life come upon us - and all of us will experience
them - we can rise above them by setting our actions, our minds, and our belief
toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow
God's power to lift us above them.
God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness,
tragedy, failure and disappointment, criticism, and church politics in our lives. We can soar above the storm. Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us
down, it is how we handle them.
The Bible says, "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles.
Overcoming Our Difficulties
Deut. 32: 11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
12 So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.
God always has some beautiful lesson for us in the habits of various wildlife/birds. The eagle is no exception.
The eagle always picks the very tallest of the trees to build their nest; and, now a days, the eagle can even be seen the odd time building her nest around some cities. I had the thrilling experience of seeing two bals eagles touch down right in the heart of Calgary, to pluck a fish out of the water of the Elbow River, near downtown! I was on my bicycle at the time, and I will be coming back to this experience later in this story.
When God speaks of the eagle stirring up her nest, in Deut.32:11, He desires to teach us several valuable lessons.
The eagle makes their nest out of thorns, covers the thorns with soft things, such as wool and down; and there, the eagle lays her eggs. When the eggs are hatched, the eaglets are on soft, comfortable down.
But, when the time comes for the eaglets to fly, the mother eagle reaches into the nest with her great, sharp talons, and scratches off this soft covering of the nest, stirring it up until the thorns come through, and thus making the little ones get out of the nest and fly!
They start out by “fledging,” standing on the edge of the nest, fluttering their wings and flying in short bursts above the nest and back down again. Soon, most of the cute and pudgy looking eaglets reach the point where they actually jump off the nest, and begin to fly. If they happen to be a bit shy in getting started, the mother eagle will push them over the side of the nest, until they fall right out. They usually flutter about with great fanfare, trying to use their wings, and then , as needed, the mother eagle will fly under them, and catch them on her wings, bearing them back up to the nest. Then, they do it all over again. This is how the eagle learns to fly.
To many, the eagle is a symbol of nobility, with some cultures using it as a symbol of a king. They do this in Persia, Egypt, and Greece, as a few examples. To me, the great bald eagle, is a symbol of strength, and hope.
Climbing The Mountain
I remember the time I climbed Mount Allen. It is sometimes referred to as Nakiska Ski Resort, in the Rocky Mountains 90 minutes north of Calgary. There is an established path that goes up one side of the main mountain here, and then down the other side. But, being a bit of an independent, and adventuresome sort; I decided to take a non-Christian friend with me to make our own path up the mountain. I’ll call him John. John and I set out early one Sunday morning from the base of the mountain. It was in the month of June. There was no snow at the base, or on the mountain as we climbed, except right at the very top...There was still a lot of ice and snow. We had to be careful to stay on the rocks, as the snow patches were very dangerously deep and soft.
The closer we got to the half day’s journey to the top, the colder and windier it got. We didn’t think much of it as we climbed in glee; eagerly anticipating the climbing of our first mountain. The wind was at a pretty stiff clip at the top; but the beautiful view of nothing but mountain tops for miles around was worth it in our minds. I was just admiring out loud, the beautiful deep valleys, and the heard of Elk on the face of a neighboring slope, and the daring little Marmots peaking out of their holes, and from behind rocks to keep a watchful eye on us.
Suddenly; the stiff wind turned into a very severe gust that frightened us both out of our wits. John and I were in very real danger. I lost track of him for a few minutes as I clutched tightly to a rock to avoid being blown over the edge of the mountain. I am a strong man, I lift weights, and I don’t usually have too many problems with physical tasks; but I was becoming concerned that I would lose my grip on the rock. I have never been in a wind like that before.
Something made me turn my face towards a large, deep green and beautiful valley where we had just seen the Elk far below. As I was hanging on for dear life to the rock; I noticed John also hanging on to the rock and facing the valley just like I was. It was at this time that a n amazing sight greeted our frightened eyes...Riding effortlessly on the currents of the storm, was a large bald eagle. It was so amazing to us that we were hanging on with all our strength; and the eagle was using very little, if any strength...his (or her) great wings were spanning either side, straight out, and not even moving! The eagle was totally relaxed, just out cruising for one of those Marmots to make lunch with!
Even above the loud sounds of the roaring gale; I could hear John yelling over to me: “Oh! Wow! This is absolutely amazing! This is reality! David! There just has to be a God! There just has to be! Look at that!” Tears welled up in my eye, as at that stormy moment, the Word had the chance it was waiting for. Isa.40:31, “They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength....they shall mount up with wings as eagles....” What a way for the Word to come alive!
I yelled agreement to John, and I just started to praise the Lord, and pray about all kinds of things...when all of a sudden; I noticed the wind had died down! We were now able to start our descent.
Today; I am caught in another storm...a church storm. I am hanging on to the Rock; because I feel like I am going to get blown away by the storms of apathy, criticism, negativism, and deceptions. And as I hang onto the Rock; I await the renewal of my strength, that I may fly like the eagle, in the deadly atmosphere of sin. Everywhere I go, the church environment is being tainted with the killer poison of criticism of the church and/or it’s leaders.
“As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks. Some who are now ready to take up weapons of warfare; will in times of real peril, make it manifest that they have not [held onto] the real Rock, they will yield to temptation. Those who have had great light, and precious privileges, BUT HAVE NOT IMPROVED THEM, will, under one pretext or another, go out from us."” (6T 400). Special private ministries. Watching for mistakes. Setting the errors before the general public. Waiting on Satan, and taking many innocents with them as they are blown away by the storms of the last day deceptions...the doctrines of devils. Buzzards. Not eagles. Thriving on the husks of other people’s failings in the church.
Are You The Eagle?
" 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." (Isa.40:31, KJV).
"The Eagle of the Alps is sometimes beaten down by the tempest into the narrow confines of the mountains. Storm clouds shut in this mighty bird of the forest; their dark mass separating her from the sunny heights where she has made her home. Her efforts to escape seem fruitless. She dashes to and fro, beating the air with her strong wings, and waking the mountain echoes with her cries. At length, with a note of triumph, she darts upward, and piercing the clouds, is once more in the clear sunlight, with the darkness and tempest far beneath.
So we may be surrounded by difficulties, discouragement, and darkness. Falsehood, calamity, injustice shut us in. There are clouds that we cannot dispel. We battle with circumstances in vain. There is one, and [only] one way of escape. The mists and the fogs cling to the Earth; beyond the clouds, God's light is shining. Into the sunlight of His presence we may rise on the wings of faith." (Education, pg.118).
And as members of God’s Remnant Church, we must wait on the Lord that we may renew our strength, and mount up with wings, as eagles...maybe even eaglets in some cases; but God will come through! He has not failed us thus far; and he will not fail us now!
What does it mean to wait on the Lord?
Remember the last time you went to a restaurant to eat? Did someone “wait on you?” Of course. If you were in a really popular place; the staff would have been extremely busy “waiting” on tables. In the Bible, “wait,” is not necessarily passive. It is almost always very active:
"If you see your sinfulness, do not wait to make yourself better. How many there are who think they are not good enough to come to Christ. Do you expect to become better through your own efforts?...There is help for us only in God. We must not wait for stronger persuasions, or
for holier tempers. We can do nothing of ourselves. [Jo.14:6, 15:5].
Prayer:
"Have mercy on me O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee, Thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight: that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest." "Create in me a clean heart O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee." (Ps.51:1-4, 10-13, KJV).
"Cast thy burden on the Lord and He shall sustain thee." Ps.55:22
Soon, the malicious winds of strife will die down...Hanging onto the Solid Rock, our strength will be renewed; and we shall mount up with wings as eagles...” because we will see Jesus. He is coming soon. Are you as ready as you think?
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"The desert will rejoice and bloom as the rose...it shall bloom abundantly!"
(Isa.35:1-2)
Your brother in Christ
David T. Battler
