Plunging into the Word: Isaiah 40:27-31
Pondering on the Way:
When a baby eaglet is old enough to learn to fly, her mother takes her for a wild ride on her back. While she’s flying, the mother eagle flips over, and the eaglet begins to try to fly. The papa eagle oversees this flight school. If an eaglet can’t fly, he’ll swoop down at a high speed to catch the baby before it hits the ground. Most eaglets do not learn how to fly the first time they try. They continue the flight process until they learn.The parent eagles have five main feathers on each wing. This is so they can adjust their wings during long training fights to keep the eaglet from falling to the ground. The eaglet is always under the close care of the mother and father during training. Once the eaglet flies, the papa and mama eagle fly around in a circle in celebration.
Today’s Bible story tells us that God, like a father and mother eagle, sees our every move and cares about every little or big thing in our lives. More than that, God never has to go to sleep or take a break. Today’s verses even compare us with baby eagles learning to fly! Verses 21-32 say that even though youths will faint and be weary, those kids who wait on God’s strength will mount up with wings like eagles.
When we are learning to ride a bike or make a new friend or move to another town, God helps us do these hard or new things. When we get tired or afraid, God, like a mother or father eagle, scoops us up when we are about to fall and carries us through the hard times.
—Laurie Oswald Robinson
Praying and Walking in the World:
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Adults and children: The following passages also refer to God as a mother eagle: Deuteronomy 32:10-12; Psalm 17:8, 36:7, 57:1, 61:4, 63:7, 91:4. Read How does it feel to you to imagine God as an eagle carrying you on its wings? When do you need that assurance the most?
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Pray this prayer, filling in the blank with your own words: Carry me, God, on your swift, strong I need you to carry me through right now. Hold me up. I can’t do this alone. I am tired and troubled. Give me the lift I need. I need you, God. Amen.