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...
There IS something you can do...
Visit the Missions tab above to find out how
Redeemer Christian Foundation, Inc.
is making a difference...
