We use the eagle as a mascot for many a sports team. Many high schools and college use the eagle as their mascot. We consider this bird a magnificent specimen of power, agility, and ability. God uses this magnificent bird as an illustration to His people many times in the scriptures. One is in Exodus 19:4 “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.” Another time in when Moses is giving his farewell address. Deuteronomy 32:11-12 Moses says, “As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.” In this passage Moses is using an eagle mother showing her chicks how to fly and what she does to help those babies to start on their journey in life. He is comparing the eagle with its chicks to how God is helping Israel to grow. There are lessons in this for us also. Let us consider them in this article.
- She demonstrates how to fly. The mother bird will get the baby’s attention and show it how to fly, she is demonstrating in front of the chick how to do it correctly. God has shown us how to live correctly. He did not do it from afar either. God came to this earth and lived and gave us an example on how to live. Matthew 3 shows us how to obey God. Jesus obeyed His Father in the act of baptism. Jesus was not baptized for the same reason you and I are but He has shown us the way. 1 Peter 2:21 “…Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” So we have demonstrated before how to live, are we following that example?
- She discomforts her brood to get them to fly. There is discomfort in learning. The mama bird is teaching the young one to fly. The baby is quite happy the way things are; food is brought to it and all of its cares are taken care of, so what is the problem. The baby is living is a secure down filled nest, why give it up? God caused Israel to be discomforted to learn certain things. Why did they leave Egypt the way they did, because God wanted to teach them something, yet there was discomfort in that. We need to learn some things also and many times there is discomfort in what we have learned. It may be about salvation, the way we were taught was wrong for many years, coming to know the truth can cause discomfort. It could be about relationship with one another, are we learning from the discomfort?
- There is danger for the young bird. The young bird is not meant to stay in the nest all of its life! Sometimes crisis occur in our lives to help us. The mama bird might “help” the baby to the edge of the nest and let the baby look over the side to help this baby grow out of the nest. There is danger in this what if the baby fell? What would happen then notice the last point! The mama is there but there is still danger for the baby. Sometimes we must face what we think is danger to help us start on the right path. David said, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept they word” (Ps 119:67).
- Decisions have to be made by the bird and the mother. If the baby has fallen out of the nest this child must make a decision! To fly or not to fly that is the real question for this baby! To fly or fall which will it be! Which direction will I take? Up or down? No one can fly for us to we must make up our own mind. Paul said, “For every man shall bear his own burden” (Galatians 6:5). We must make some decision in our own lives about many things; no one can make them for us.
- There is some doing that must take place. This baby must flap its wings and do something. It cannot sit there and do nothing. I understand that the mama bird will start tearing up the nest to help the babies out. Help them to start doing something and get out of the nest. There is something we must do also. God will not save us without our consent notice what Peter said, “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying Save yourselves from this untoward generation” (Acts 2:40). Let us get busy doing work for the Lord!
- There is deliverance if case things don’t go right. If that baby happens to fall out of the nest before it is ready or if the baby does not fly the first time out of the nest, mother is there to help out. The mama will catch the baby and put it back in the nest until it learns to fly. Isn’t this true with God? As long as we try won’t He save us and put us back to start all over again? Isn’t that a great thing? God will catch us and is there for us when we need Him. He will deliver us in the time of need. I hope you have learned from the eagle!
Love, Keith
