To Soar Like Eagles
“but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:31
Each day I awake I feel just a tad older. Names of classmates, colleagues and children seem to fade away, taking longer and longer to come to the surface. The face greeting me in the mirror has a different look – with grey hair contrasting nicely with the black circles under the eyes. Running has given way to walking, seemingly coinciding with expanded waistlines and bigger belts. Joints that once bent freely now must be coaxed into shape – one groan at a time. Age – it is such a blessing – now I have a perfect excuse for wearing mismatched clothes, getting lost, or coming home from the store with bags of necessary items, however, not that for which I went in the first place.
Old age, it is a state of mind – the older I get- the less I mind. The older I get, the more I miss my mind. Yes, the older I get the more acceptable it is to repeat myself.
Oh, we can delay the effects of aging – good food, good exercise, good mental stimulation – will all help. But I often feel that I should not tamper with nature – if God wanted my body to be youthful – he wouldn’t have given me chocolate, beer, or Sunday afternoon football!
I have found that I am at an age where the word “renewal” is important. I need to renew my energy – sometimes by sleeping late in the morning, sometimes by stopping on the top stair to ponder the workings of my lungs. I renew when I hold the hand of her whom I love, her touch connecting me to the place in my heart where I feel the most. Her touch cracks the shell I built over my heart by the driver who cut me off on the highway, the government official who will not see the common sense in an issue, or any one of a thousand little offenses that I mound up over my heart.
I renew when I drive down the highway and see a beautiful sunrise – or sunset – or a huge, orange, rising full moon – or a single star – or a deer bounding alone the fence line – or passing the truck that just picked up the last of the construction barrels.
I renew when I open my mailbox and there are no bills – or I open my email to see a message from my son that does not ask for more money. I renew when I watch a good movie – defined not by body counts, monsters or special effects, but by the number of tissues used. I renew when I see a baby smile – even more if the baby smiles at me. I renew when I see a toddler chase and burst a bubble with her nose. I renew when I stop at a restaurant and see a father lead his family in a meal prayer.
Yes, I am getting older. I am getting slower. I am getting renewed.
It is no accident that Isaiah uses the image of an eagle as a picture of one who is renewed in strength.
The crunching of my shoes against the pebbles on the shore was the only sound heard as I walked slowly along the beach in Kenai, Alaska. The evening was still and the sun belied the time of day as it stood high in the sky at what would have been dusk in the Midwest. I heard the whoosh shortly after I felt the cool breeze on my face. I looked up just as the eagle swooped low over me, heading in a low arc over the water. The splash of the claws marked the spot where the eagle plucked his dinner from the sea. Massive wings flapped a few times as the eagle caught a thermal and glided off out of sight.
I was struck by the eagle’s beauty, grace, and power. He also alerted me to look up and around. Many eagles were spotted flying in a lazy circle, wings motionless, extended out to catch the rising warm air. They effortlessly circled from thermal to thermal, every now and then one diving towards an unsuspecting fish.
I had been looking down, feeling the weight of my life, my load of sin, my anger, my frustration, myself. I looked up and was renewed.
Eagles need warm air so that they may rise up and glide – to find food – to find their home – to live. It would be awesome if I could travel on hot air – I would be a master. No, it takes more than hot air to lift me up – to renew me.
I have been in the depths of despair. I have faced those walks of doubt – of debt – of decision – of deceit – of fear – of failure – of illness – of loss – of pain – of separation from friends, from family, from God. I have wrapped myself in myself and have rolled in the mud. Each time I have been there it has been more difficult to escape – to renew.
Then it dawned on me. I was trying to lift myself up using hot air. I am not an eagle. I needed a greater strength to renew. I needed the lifting hands of the Spirit. I need the Lord!
He was always there. I had trouble recognizing Him, but what joy there was when I did see Him. I see Him in my wife – in her prayers, her arms wrapping around me, her smile, and her quiet reassurance of her love and His love. I see Him in the hymns at church – the sermon – the benediction – the Lord’s Supper. I see Him in the pages of the Scripture – absolving me of sin and imprinting peace in my heart. I see Him in the lightning – the stars – the quiet of the woods – the vastness of His creation – His rainbow.
Every night I lay my head on the pillow and feel despair – for this day I sinned. Every morning I awake to the joy of forgiveness. The Lord renews me – daily. His Spirit lifts me up on wings of an eagle. I soar to great heights of service to Him.
Let us soar for Him – today.
“but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:31
Each day I awake I feel just a tad older. Names of classmates, colleagues and children seem to fade away, taking longer and longer to come to the surface. The face greeting me in the mirror has a different look – with grey hair contrasting nicely with the black circles under the eyes. Running has given way to walking, seemingly coinciding with expanded waistlines and bigger belts. Joints that once bent freely now must be coaxed into shape – one groan at a time. Age – it is such a blessing – now I have a perfect excuse for wearing mismatched clothes, getting lost, or coming home from the store with bags of necessary items, however, not that for which I went in the first place.
Old age, it is a state of mind – the older I get- the less I mind. The older I get, the more I miss my mind. Yes, the older I get the more acceptable it is to repeat myself.
Oh, we can delay the effects of aging – good food, good exercise, good mental stimulation – will all help. But I often feel that I should not tamper with nature – if God wanted my body to be youthful – he wouldn’t have given me chocolate, beer, or Sunday afternoon football!
I have found that I am at an age where the word “renewal” is important. I need to renew my energy – sometimes by sleeping late in the morning, sometimes by stopping on the top stair to ponder the workings of my lungs. I renew when I hold the hand of her whom I love, her touch connecting me to the place in my heart where I feel the most. Her touch cracks the shell I built over my heart by the driver who cut me off on the highway, the government official who will not see the common sense in an issue, or any one of a thousand little offenses that I mound up over my heart.
I renew when I drive down the highway and see a beautiful sunrise – or sunset – or a huge, orange, rising full moon – or a single star – or a deer bounding alone the fence line – or passing the truck that just picked up the last of the construction barrels.
I renew when I open my mailbox and there are no bills – or I open my email to see a message from my son that does not ask for more money. I renew when I watch a good movie – defined not by body counts, monsters or special effects, but by the number of tissues used. I renew when I see a baby smile – even more if the baby smiles at me. I renew when I see a toddler chase and burst a bubble with her nose. I renew when I stop at a restaurant and see a father lead his family in a meal prayer.
Yes, I am getting older. I am getting slower. I am getting renewed.
It is no accident that Isaiah uses the image of an eagle as a picture of one who is renewed in strength.
The crunching of my shoes against the pebbles on the shore was the only sound heard as I walked slowly along the beach in Kenai, Alaska. The evening was still and the sun belied the time of day as it stood high in the sky at what would have been dusk in the Midwest. I heard the whoosh shortly after I felt the cool breeze on my face. I looked up just as the eagle swooped low over me, heading in a low arc over the water. The splash of the claws marked the spot where the eagle plucked his dinner from the sea. Massive wings flapped a few times as the eagle caught a thermal and glided off out of sight.
I was struck by the eagle’s beauty, grace, and power. He also alerted me to look up and around. Many eagles were spotted flying in a lazy circle, wings motionless, extended out to catch the rising warm air. They effortlessly circled from thermal to thermal, every now and then one diving towards an unsuspecting fish.
I had been looking down, feeling the weight of my life, my load of sin, my anger, my frustration, myself. I looked up and was renewed.
Eagles need warm air so that they may rise up and glide – to find food – to find their home – to live. It would be awesome if I could travel on hot air – I would be a master. No, it takes more than hot air to lift me up – to renew me.
I have been in the depths of despair. I have faced those walks of doubt – of debt – of decision – of deceit – of fear – of failure – of illness – of loss – of pain – of separation from friends, from family, from God. I have wrapped myself in myself and have rolled in the mud. Each time I have been there it has been more difficult to escape – to renew.
Then it dawned on me. I was trying to lift myself up using hot air. I am not an eagle. I needed a greater strength to renew. I needed the lifting hands of the Spirit. I need the Lord!
He was always there. I had trouble recognizing Him, but what joy there was when I did see Him. I see Him in my wife – in her prayers, her arms wrapping around me, her smile, and her quiet reassurance of her love and His love. I see Him in the hymns at church – the sermon – the benediction – the Lord’s Supper. I see Him in the pages of the Scripture – absolving me of sin and imprinting peace in my heart. I see Him in the lightning – the stars – the quiet of the woods – the vastness of His creation – His rainbow.
Every night I lay my head on the pillow and feel despair – for this day I sinned. Every morning I awake to the joy of forgiveness. The Lord renews me – daily. His Spirit lifts me up on wings of an eagle. I soar to great heights of service to Him.
Let us soar for Him – today.