“They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint (Isaiah 40:31).”
THE eagle is a symbol of the Resurrection.
God uses the symbol of an eagle to encourage us to soar higher in our life of faith.
God can raise us up to heights beyond our wildest dreams, if we allow ourselves to be led be the Holy Spirit.
Eagles have an innate sense of when a storm is approaching and fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come.
When the storm hits, the eagle 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.
It doesn’t escape the storm; but simply uses the storm to lift it higher far above the clouds. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.
Our world is experiencing a major storm as the coronavirus wreaks havoc across the globe.
We might well be likely to ask where is God in all of this?
Too often the thoughts of God can get lost in the chaos of our days, as we struggle to keep pace with the rapidly-changing health and economic situation in which we find ourselves, the constant activity, the concerns about our loved ones, the worries, the frustrations … . Then God whispers “I am here. I am here. I am here with you always. Feel me in your heart. Feel me in your soul. Feel My Spirit at work within you, teaching you, guiding you, inspiring you, loving you. I am here and I love you.”
We can use the storms of life to rise to greater heights.
Like the eagle, we too can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward our heavenly Father.
If we believe, God will enable us to ride the winds that bring sickness, tragedy and disappointment to our lives; for it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.
Just as the eagle must learn to fly on wind thermals, we, as Spirit-filled Christians, need to let go and fly on the power of the Holy Spirit.
“He was afraid and said: “How awesome is this place. It must be the House of God; it must be the Gate of Heaven” (Genesis 28:17).
The place where God is most readily found, where God is most at home, is in the very depths of our beings. God is with us, wherever we are – always.
Remember this: We have the greatest ally, the greatest guide and mentor on our side. (Jesus said) “And look, I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.”
Let’s open these words further.
Jesus said, “I am….”
“I am” is the name of God.
“To the end of time” – for all eternity.
We know that our earthly lives are already part of eternal life, for we believe that Jesus is the Son of God and Jesus also told us that one who believes Jesus is the Son of God has eternal life.
Jesus then is clearly saying, “God with you always; yes, for all eternity.”
God is with you, always. I am hope in times of despair.
I am your healing presence.
I am here.
I am in this place.
In these troubling times, I take comfort knowing that God is in this place.
I see, feel and experience the presence of God in everyone and everything.
God is always with me – I am never alone.
I encounter God in Quiet Times, in other people and creatures, in nature, and in times of trial, trouble and tragedy.
God’s brightest presence has sometimes been hidden in my darkest places. God is with me because God tells me so – and I believe.
And I said to the one who stood at the gate of the year, “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied, ‘Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.’ So, I went forth, and finding the hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And he led me towards the hills and the breaking of the day in the lone east (Minnie Louise Haskins – “God Knows,” 1908).
Don’t be afraid of the unknown.
We don’t have to seek God; we are already in the presence of God.
Trust in God, even in the darkness. God is in this place.
Have a golden day and treasure life.a
