Friday, February 26, 2016

When The Eagle Stirs The Nest

Hey Friend,

I love it when I discover new verses or passages that I am not familiar with. That was the case this week.  Ready to mine gems from God's word, I got the context of the scripture.  It's in Deuteronomy and Moses, being one hundred twenty years old, is speaking to all of Israel and letting them know that Joshua will succeed him. 

After the reading of the Law, Moses recited or sang the words of a familiar song to the assembly of Israel.  This is a song, rich with imagery, that the Israelites would have been familiar with and understood.  It tells a story of God's faithfulness through history. It also cautions them to learn from their mistakes. Moses is giving them their marching orders in this song as they are about to cross over into the promised land.

Like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft. (Deuteronomy 32:11)

Images of eagles are used over thirty times in scripture.  This week I could relate to this image of the eagle stirring up the nest.  Some days I get comfortable in the nest...complacent even. Like cozy young eagles in their nest, I don't want to be stirred.  God, however, was stirring up the nest because He had something important for me to do.  In spite of my protests, I had this feeling that I was going to get nudged out of the nest.  God had a job for me.

This metaphor of God's loving protection comforted me.  Just like His care and gentle protection of His people Israel, God is going to take care of me.  God does not toss us into the deep end of the pool and say "sink or swim". 

Interestingly enough, and naturalists agree, that when real eaglets take their first flight, the parents are absent...they are away from the nest.

Contrast that with what God is saying here.  Though He may stir the nest and urge us onward out of our comfy surroundings, He is right there watching and protecting and hovering over us -  His young.  If we fall and are unable to fly, He spreads His mighty wings to catch us (never letting us fall) and He carries us.

This passage encouraged me because God is stirring my nest, but He offers the time honored faithfulness of being right there to catch me lest I fall.

Another "eagle" passage that brings me comfort is Isaiah 40:31:

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.

I'm not good at waiting.  Actually I stink at it.  When I pour all my human efforts into something, I want to see the fruits of my labor.  Lately, I have poured a lot of energy into my work with Redeemer Christian Foundation, Inc.  I've worked to the point of exhaustion and I'm having trouble waiting to see what the fruits (or lack of fruits) of my labor will be.  I'm ready for the end of the story.

Thankfully, God is so much smarter than I am and He knows, better then me, what I truly need.  Look at God's prescription for me(us) here:

But they that WAIT (If you wait in hope, longing for God)...THEN the Lord shall RENEW their strength (God will renew my(our) strength)

                                           If...Then
                                        Wait...Renew

God knows I need this resting time...this period of waiting.  He knows I'm worn out from laboring and he knows that in the waiting, He can renew.

What a gracious and loving God who gently tells us to wait and then pours out mercy on us to renew our spirit. 

One last verse that gives hope to those who are waiting is Lamentations 3:23-25:

"The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him. The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him."

I've had to wait in difficult situations for hours (the surgery my daughter had when she was only four).  I've also waited in difficult situations for many years...over 25 to be exact.  I'm not a stranger to waiting...you'd think by now I'd be better at it.

God is good.  God is good to those who wait for him.  God is good to those who seek Him.

To the discouraged, He says don't lose heart.  To the weary and worn, He says I'll give you rest.  To those restless in just waiting, He promises hope. 

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  (Galatians 6:9)

Is the Lord stirring your nest?  Are you being called to something new?  Are you being asked to wait?  Are you weary and wanting to give up?  Are you discouraged?  Restless?  Exhausted?

If so, know that God lovingly protects YOU - His young.  He hovers over you and will catch you.  He will never let you fall.

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise you that you are protective of me.  Thank you for compassionately hovering over me.  You are never out of reach and you spread your mighty wings so that I will never fall.  You promise that you will always be there for me...you will even fight for me.  I just need to keep showing up.  Lord, I pour out my weariness, my discouragement, my faint heart and I claim your promise of renewal of my spirit.  I claim your promise that you are good to those who wait for you.  Help me and be there in my waiting so that all my days may glorify You.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Be blessed....



"With guns, you can kill terrorists,
With education you can kill terrorism."
(Malala Yousafzia)

This is Nisha.  Alone, to fend for herself on the streets, she cleaned houses for the wealthy in order to survive.  She always dreamed of getting an education, but with no funds and the Taliban banning education for girls, her hopes were dim. 

Here she is...with her Bible and learning to read...getting an education while being loved on with the love and hope of Jesus.

Will you join us in standing up to terrorism?
There IS something you can do...
Visit the Missions tab above to find out how
Redeemer Christian Foundation, Inc.
is making a difference...

37 comments:

  1. Beautiful Bev. Love your comparison and I love reading a little more about the eagle. Thanks for the link-up. Have a great weekend!

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    1. Deborah,
      Thank you...I was fascinated by some of the things I learned researching this post. Eagles are so majestic...powerful, yet protecting like our God!
      Blessings,
      Bev

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  2. Beautiful Bev. Love your comparison and I love reading a little more about the eagle. Thanks for the link-up. Have a great weekend!

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  3. You may think this is a bit "wacky" and it's certainly extra-biblical, but I love how Tolkien captures the Eagle imagery in his writing, sending them to the rescue just when all is lost. And isn't that the way of God in our lives? As we grow weary, He lifts us up with wings not our own!

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    1. Michele,
      Not wacky at all...You captured this beautifully - "He lifts us up with wings not our own." So thankful we can find refuge on and under God's wings.
      Blessings friend,
      Bev

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  4. I love how God promises to protects, even as He asks us to do something hard. And may I say, I adore how Michele mentioned Tolkien's use of eagles! Those are our favorite parts! Blessings!

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    1. Carrie,
      Ditto adoring Michele's comments. I loved this imagery...like you said, even when He asks us to do something hard (stirs the nest), He's there to protect. Here's to the Tolkien fans :)
      Blessings,
      Bev

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  5. Not that long ago I was gifted with beauty of an eagle right in my own backyard. It was beautiful and amazing - example of His love and answer to a prayer.

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    1. Denise,
      Oh how I'd love to see one up close and personal. I've seen some flying and soaring above the trees at a nearby lake. Glimpses of Heaven and what an answer to prayer. God always shows up in powerful ways to let us know He sees us!
      Blessings,
      Bev

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  6. You had me at that first line you wrote, Bev! Aren't those just the best sacred treasures, just waiting to be unwrapped and savored! Even after reading the Bible for decades, it's such a treat and a wake-up call when a new invitation or word of grace jumps out and holds us close.

    Thanks for this Sunday afternoon insight, friend! I hope this has been a day of beauty and refreshment for you ...

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  7. Linda,
    The older I get, the more I realize how much I don't know!! Even in scripture we've read many, many times, there are always new nuggets and nuances to be found. I loved discovering this new scripture and how God spoke to me through it...so glad it spoke to you as well!!
    Blessings and a beautiful Sunday to you,
    Bev xx

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  8. You have some beautiful scriptures, Bev. I love those eagle passages too. May the Lord bless and encourage you for your work on behalf of the school.

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    1. Betsy,
      I loved these scriptures as well! Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement for Redeemer Christian Foundation...that truly touches my heart!
      Blessings,
      Bev

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  9. You wrote such beautiful truth here today. The image of an eagle as it soars across the sky fills me with the words, run but don't grow weary. Your story of waiting or inability to wait stirs up pieces of my life. God is with us in the waiting and He does use that time to renew, fill and teach so we are ready for the next part of our race. Thank you for these life-giving words!

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    1. Mary,
      I pray that God will use this time of your waiting to renew you as well...He knows just what we need, when we need it. So thankful for these scriptural reminders of His constant care. As moms we hover, but nice to know God hovers over us!
      Blessings sweet friend,
      Bev

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  10. The prayer at the end is my favorite. I read it twice, just letting those truthful words wash over me as a start to the day. Thank you Bev!

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    1. Meg,
      So glad you found comfort in the prayer. After such beautiful scripture, I just opened my heart and let the words flow...thankful they were a blessing to you!
      Always,
      Bev

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  11. Amen! The Lord is our Protector. I really like the attention you draw to "Eagle" and shared about the characteristics and beautiful sets of scriptures too.
    Here is the link you asked for: http://faithnfriends.com/is-your-salvation-really-free/

    Thank you for checking in on me. It really means a lot to me, Bev.
    How have you been? And your hubby?

    Sweet Blessings to you

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    1. Thanks Ifeoma,
      I always appreciate your insights and will revisit your link. I am doing well and my wonderful husband and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary...God is good!
      Blessings to you sweet friend,
      Bev

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  12. "... He will never let you fall." I loved this statement and the illustration of the eagle and the nest. I'm in the middle of taking a wobbly step out into something new, and your words today are just what I need to remember that He won't let me fall when He asks me to make that jump! He is faithful! Thank you, Bev, beautiful post!

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    1. Christine,
      I'm wobbling right there with you!! If He calls us...He will never let us fall or be utterly cast down. Not to say there will never be difficulty, but He will give us the grace to overcome. What an awesome God we have.
      Blessings this day,
      Bev

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  13. Bev, I love this post! and all the Scriptures...waiting...there are two songs about "waiting" which I have on "repeat" these days, they are by Lauren Daigle, one is "You Are My Revival" https://youtu.be/lG7qn9Dx8xU and the other is "Trust In You" https://youtu.be/n_aVFVveJNs ... so good...so true! many blessings to you!

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    1. Beth,
      Next to reading scripture, listening to uplifting praise music calls my heart to soar! The more we can feed our mind with Truth, the better. Thank you for your sweet encouragement.
      Blessings,
      Bev

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  14. I love the verse from Isaiah--I always think of the song "Wind Beneath My Wings"--the Holy Spirit provides the loft that allows us to 'rise up on wings as the eagles.' I spend a lot of time on the ground thinking I'm a chicken and not enough time leaping out of the nest remembering I'm an eagle.

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    1. Right there with you sister "chicken". I continually have to remind myself that if I take that leap of faith...He is faithful to never let me fall. Oh what a loving Father we have!!
      Blessings,
      Bev

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  15. I'm not great at waiting either, but yes, there is comfort in knowing that we are under His everlasting wings - the He is planning, moving, and working on our behalf and for our greater good. So sweet that that even includes rest when we need it. So glad to visit from #tellhisstory today.

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    1. Tiffany,
      Thanks for popping over to visit. So good to have you here. Yes, in our waiting, He is still moving and working. Sometimes, I have to remember to get myself out of the way so that He can move on my behalf!!
      Blessings,
      Bev

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  16. Visiting from #TellHisStory today. Love the way you flesh out each verse and show us different ways God shows His everlasting and faithful Love to us. Waiting is hard, so hard and if I'm honest, I'm also pretty impatient. Yesterday, God reminded me that He is patient with me and that my job is to accept Him: patience. I often feel this urge to get on with life, while God then shows me that life comes by resting in Him. For me, the patience I need to accept right now is for my grief: for the inexplicable waves.

    The stirring up also speaks to me. I'm in the process of preparing a book for publication: something I've been stirred up into and gently nudged forward into the last five months. Each time I've screamed "halt, God, I can't do this!" But, He's responded: "You're not doing this. I am. Do you trust that my power is made perfect precisely in your weakness?" So, I'm learning, slowly and it's been amazing, stunning to see His Hand at work!

    God will be preparing something wonderful for Redeemer Christian School. At my church they encouraged us to pray differently than I have ever done: to claim the truth of God's promises. So, rather than saying: "God, please help open the doors for Redeemer Christian School", I'll pray: "God, you have promised that you will never leave or forsake your people. Thank you for what you are working right now to bring more and more life, more and more hope and more and more Love to Redeemer Christian School. And thank you for swinging the door wide open to You at every twist and turn on our path."

    May God bless you abundantly, Beth.

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    1. Anna,
      Praying for you as you experience the waves of grief...it truly is a process and I don't know if we ever totally get over things...we just get better at leaning into the Lord. I will also pray as you release your book - how exciting!! How true that God is doing this! I love the way that you pray. I have been doing more of this as well...thanking God for how He is going to be faithful and answer His promises...thanking before receiving. Thank YOU for sharing your thoughts and wise insights here!
      Blessings my friend,
      Bev

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  17. Hi Bev,
    I love how God is waiting for us when we are tired of waiting and worn out with the daily grind! I love how he renews our strength and reminds us of who he is. And I love this reminder about eagles because a few months ago I saw one fly overhead as I was outside praying and pondering his words and I thought it was the perfect reminder from a father who give us encouragement on our journeys!

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    1. Valerie,
      How true that God is always waiting. He is faithful even when we are not and how good He is to want to catch us, let us rest and be renewed in Him, and then gives us wind beneath our wings to fly. How majestic and wonderful the sign of the eagle was from God!!
      Blessings,
      Bev xx

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  18. I so resonate with your words here, Bev. And feel that God is stirring my nest and yet I must wait. I feel as if I've been waiting in a certain area of my life for a very long time. But all of that time God has been using to strengthen and prepare me for this new venture. I'm so encouraged by what you've pointed out in the Scriptures and through your own experience of waiting. Thanks so much for being willing to share something rather vulnerable with us, my friend. It is greatly appreciated!

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    1. Beth,
      So God is stirring your nest too? We think of waiting as inactivity, but as you pointed out, God is always working and preparing and strengthening us for the road ahead. Praying for you in your new venture and thank you for your encouragement. We learn from sharing our journeys...
      Blessings...always good to have you here...
      Bev

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  19. I love how God uses His created creatures as analogies in His Word!

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    1. Susan,
      How true - God uses all of His glorious creation to teach us and to encourage us. Isn't that so like Him?
      Blessings friend,
      Bev

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  20. Bev, I love this: God knows I need this resting time...this period of waiting. He knows I'm worn out from laboring and he knows that in the waiting, He can renew. I am in a period of working and waiting, and God has recently opened my eyes to the beauty that can be found in such a season. May the road rise up to meet you, sweet friend.

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    1. Sarah,
      Lean into the rest that He is graciously providing. As you pointed out...we NEED this renewal time so that our eyes can be opened to the beauty around us. Waiting Season...I like that term. Praying for you in your rest and in your rising up.
      Blessings sweet friend,
      Bev xx

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