Isaiah 40:28–31
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 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.
Notice what verse 31 says. Those who wait on the Lord will soar on wings like eagles. Why eagles in particular? What do we know about eagles? Just as the lion is the king of the beasts, the eagle is the king of the birds. It radiates nobility. The eagle is one of the strongest of birds — its wingspan reaches about 2.2 meters. It is so strong that it can carry a weight greater than its own (a small lamb, for example). It is master of the sky, bold and free. It flies the highest, reaching speeds of up to 250 km/h. Its eyes are protected by a fine transparent membrane, and it sees the farthest (it can spot a rabbit from three kilometers up). Nothing escapes its field of vision — it has 270 degrees of peripheral sight. Job 39:27–29 says:
27 Does the eagle soar at your command and build its nest on high? 28 It dwells on a cliff and stays there at night; a rocky crag is its stronghold. 29 From there it looks for food; its eyes detect it from afar.
The eagle looks and sees far off. We believers also look far off. We do not look only at what is under our nose, only at what is visible, but also at what is far away. Hebrews 11:13 says:
13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.
As believers, we see things in perspective. We see eternal life; we fix our eyes not on what is temporary but on what is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18).
Care for the Family
The eagle chooses one mate to be its partner for life. It does not change mates every year. It chooses one and lives with her “till death do them part.” In the eagle’s family there is a kind of equality — both the male and the female incubate the eggs, guard the nest, feed the young, and train them to fly. The eagle builds its nest in a high and secure place. It is very cozy and strong. The eagle spends much time building its home to make it able to withstand the storms. In Job 39:27–28 God turns to Job and says:
27 Does the eagle soar at your command and build its nest on high? 28 It dwells on a cliff and stays there at night; a rocky crag is its stronghold.
We must pray and labor for the salvation of our family — to raise a godly generation that will bring blessing and spiritual victories to the people of this world. Psalm 127:4 says:
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.
But these “children” must be raised in the way of the Lord (Proverbs 22:6):
6 Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
It is characteristic of eagles that both the father and the mother care for the family. Fathers, we must not give up on raising our children and leave it only to our wives!
Stirring the Nest
Deuteronomy 32:11 describes how God cares for His people like an eagle:
11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.
Notice that the eagle “stirs up its nest.” Then it is “over its young.” Then it spreads its wings, positions itself beneath them, catches them, and lifts them up. What happens? The time comes when eagles begin to stir up their nests and make them uncomfortable for the eaglets, so as to force them out of their comfort and start learning to fly. The mother eagle begins to push them out over the cliff. Then the little ones are unhappy; they screech and complain. Perhaps they think their mother has come to hate them. But what is she actually doing? She is making eagles. She pushes the eaglet off the cliff and it begins to plummet downward. The mother lets the little one fall to a certain point. Then she positions herself beneath it, spreads her wings, and lifts it high. Then suddenly she drops it again — until at some moment it spreads its own wings and flies.
In the same way God works with us. Sometimes He places us where it is most dangerous. But His goal is not to kill us; it is to make us leave our comfortable position and “learn to fly.” God’s will for us is to do what Jesus did. In Matthew 14:25–31 we read the amazing account of how Peter walked on the water. It was indeed Jesus who walked on the water before Peter — but that is not so surprising to us who already know that Jesus is God. What is astonishing, however, is what Peter does.
23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
Picture the moment. It is night, but there is a moon. You are in the middle of a vast lake, in a boat with no motor — only sails and oars. The wind is against you. And suddenly, in the middle of the night, you see the silhouette of a man walking on the water. There is a superstition that if sailors see a ghost, it is a bad sign. Everyone is frightened to death, but then a voice reaches you. And it is the voice of the Teacher: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then Peter decides to test whether it is really Jesus and says: “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” To which Jesus says: “Come.” Peter believes Him, steps over the side of the boat, tries to lower his foot into the water — but unlike other times, he cannot. The water proves to be as solid as ground. Peter brings over his other foot and stands upon the water. He lets go of the side of the boat, turns, and walks toward Jesus. And, wonder of wonders, he is walking! Like Jesus, he walks on the surface of the lake. In the next moment, however, he takes his eyes off Jesus. He looks around, sees the wind and the waves, and doubts. How is this possible? Then suddenly the firm ground under his feet seems to vanish, and he plunges into the water. Peter is frightened and begins to drown. He cries out to Jesus for help. Jesus grasps him by the hand and pulls him up. Suddenly the firm ground reappears beneath his feet. Peter is steadied and walks with Jesus back to the boat.
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
Notice that Jesus approved Peter’s desire to walk on the water. He did not rebuke him. When Peter’s faith wavered, He helped him, and together they returned across the water. God’s will for us is to live a life of miracles and signs. In Mark 16:15–20 Jesus says:
15 Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.
There are Bible scholars who dispute the authenticity of this passage, because the earliest manuscripts of the Gospel end at 16:8. These verses we have just read, however, sound like a summary of the book of Acts. In it we see the apostles driving out demons, healing the sick, and raising the dead. This is God’s will for us too! For God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The age of miracles is not over, because the God of miracles is still alive!
Wait for the Wind of the Holy Spirit
Eagles do not flap their wings when they take off. They are not like wild geese. Some Christians are like wild geese. They keep gathering speed, gathering speed, gathering speed, but still cannot rise high like eagles. To try to do God’s will in your own strength is exhausting. If you keep at it, you will wear yourself out, grow weak, and become worn down. Eagles do not take flight this way. They stand at the edge of the cliff and wait. They wait for the air currents and the turbulence. When the gust comes, they simply leap forward, spread their wings, and begin to soar over the mountains. This is an example for us. We should not launch our own initiatives and then wonder why things in our life and ministry do not go well. Instead, we must wait for the wind of the Holy Spirit and seek His leading. Romans 8:14 says:
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
When we try to do things in our own strength, we become religious. Instead, we must rely on God’s grace and anointing. Isaiah 40:31 says:
31 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.
To rise, the eagle waits for the wind. To rise, we must wait on the Lord — not doing something merely because someone else is doing it, not competing with others. If we try to do things in our own strength, it will lead only to anxiety and doubt. When something is from the Lord, then He gives both the provision and the assurance and the strength to accomplish it. Psalm 55:22 says:
22 Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
Something similar is said in Psalm 37:23–24:
23 The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; 24 though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
The way the eagle meets the storms is unusual and different from the way other birds react. When a storm comes, hens begin to fuss and look for somewhere to hide. Instead, the eagle heads straight into the storm, locks its wings, and begins to circle, until the wind lifts it up, up — above the clouds, above the rain, above the lightning and thunder. We should do the same as Christians. When we meet difficulties, instead of giving up, we should simply lock our hearts in faith and let praise lift us above our circumstances. We must not allow circumstances to dominate us. Do you remember what Paul and Silas did when they were thrown into prison (Acts 16:23–26)?
23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.
This is what faith and praise do. Instead of letting despair crush them, instead of giving up — even though they had been unjustly beaten and thrown into prison, even though they were uncomfortably bound with chains — Paul and Silas had decided to praise God and sing to Him. And God shook the foundations of the prison, opened the doors, and loosed the chains. This is what praise and faith do. When a storm comes, instead of running, the eagle rises above it. The stronger the storm, the higher it rises. Let us do the same. Instead of crushing us, let the storm lift us up!
Renewing Strength
What is characteristic of the eagle is that it lives long. And it lives long because it renews its strength. Psalm 103:1–5 says:
1 Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2 Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The eagle also grows old. Its feathers begin to fall out. Its beak begins to calcify, its strength begins to fade, as does its eyesight. But what does it do then? It goes to the highest, most secluded and inaccessible place — a safe and solitary place where it can be secure. There it begins to shed everything old about itself. It examines its feathers and plucks out every old one. It is left bare and defenseless. Then it stands against the rock and begins to strike its beak against it with all its might. Its face is contorted and bloodied. Pieces of its beak fall off, but along with them fall all the calcified deposits that were keeping it from closing and moving its beak freely. After cleansing its feathers and beak, the eagle fasts until its beak heals and new feathers grow. During this time all the impure, old, and unnecessary things are cast out of its body. Its eyesight sharpens and its strength is renewed. It becomes stronger and more dangerous to its enemies.
When we begin to feel old and tired, we too must do the same — examine our lives, our hearts, and our minds, and cast out of ourselves every wrong and false way of thinking, every bitterness, and every attachment that keeps us from being free in the Spirit. Then, when we fast, God will give us new strength and improve our health. Isaiah 58:8, 11 tells us what God will do when we fast in the right way:
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear… 11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
The New Birth
If you are going to live the life of an eagle, you must be born an eagle. You cannot become an eagle by trying to act like one. In the same way, you cannot become a Christian by trying to act like one. You must be born again. In John 3:3 the Lord Jesus said to Nicodemus:
Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.
It is another matter that there are people who are born again but behave as though they are not. The Apostle Paul calls such people “worldly” (carnal) Christians. But may God help us, if we have been born as God’s children, to also live as such.