Soaring

I saw another eagle today, soaring effortlessly in the clear cold blue sky.  Beautiful.  I like eagles. Actually, they make me stop.  They are the expression of pure beautiful strength to me. 

            I never had a favorite animal until we lived on Maryland’s eastern shore and I began to see bald eagles.  We are blessed to have these majestic birds living nearby.  I have been as close as a few yards away from an eagle taking off in flight.  I remember every eagle sighting. 

            Chris laughs at my eagle sighting obsession.  He calls them my “icon” because they make me think of their Creator.  God speaks something to me about Himself and myself and His creation when I see these birds. 

            So, today, as I reflected upon the soaring eagle we past in a field near our home, I thought about the New Year that is upon us.  I am tired, but the eagle was not.  I often struggle with lack of time or energy or spiritual strength.  The eagle just soars.  He soars.  Do I ever soar? 

            Rarely will you see an eagle flap its tremendous 6-7 foot wing span.  It waits for a thermal updraft to soar upon.  It will spread its wings and let the updraft take it up to 10,000 feet into the air.  Just by soaring. 

            I want to soar more in life.  When I rest and wait for the Lord to give me His strength for the task ahead, for the day, for the week or for the moment, then I am soaring in Him.  The joy and the peace and the strength that comes from soaring in Christ, far outweighs the life-sapping sprinting of reacting in the moment. 

            So, if I have a new year’s intention or resolution for 2012, it will be to wait, and to rest, and to “mount up on wings like eagles.” 

Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;

his understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the faint,

and to him who has no might he increases strength.

Even youths shall faint and be weary,

and young men shall fall exhausted;

but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint.

(Isaiah 40:28-31 ESV)