Yesterday morning my attention was held captive by the view across the meadow. I was enjoying watching the clouds that filled the sky. Huge, white billowy clouds, and suddenly there it was.
An eagle.
He appeared from what seemed nowhere and now he was the focus of my attention. I watched as he soared, with wings outstretched, each circle rising higher and higher. I realized too late that I should be trying to get a picture of this magnificent sight.
I reached for my phone but by the time I had it on camera setting the eagle had disappeared into the clouds. I waited but he didn’t reappear.
As he rose higher and higher there was really no effort exhibited on his part. His wings were locked and the wind thermals were lifting him. This morning I looked for some explanation of how this happens. This is what I found:
“Like many people, I am fascinated by bird flight. Unlike most people, I get to study flight of Golden Eagles for a living. These large birds move through the landscape primarily by soaring—a style of flying where they hold their wings outward and rarely flap, saving them considerable energy. Instead of flapping, they rely on rising air currents to gain altitude.
Two types of rising air currents provide most lift for soaring eagles. The first, thermal updrafts, form when energy from the sun heats air at the Earth’s surface and causes it to rise. Eagles circle within these columns of rising air to gain great altitude and then glide out of the thermals to move across the landscape…” from the American Ornithological Society, americanornithology.org
Did you know that the Lord wants us to soar? It’s not to be on our own efforts. He wants us to find our support from the energy, the updrafts as it were, that He provides.
“Each day that we live, he provides for our needs and gives us the strength of a young eagle.” Psalm 103:5 CEV
“The Lord gives strength to those who are weary. 30 Even young people get tired, then stumble and fall. 31 But those who trust the Lord will find new strength. They will be strong like eagles soaring upward on wings; they will walk and run without getting tired.” Isaiah 40:29-31 CEV
“Wait for the Lord’s help. Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord’s help.” Psalm 27:14ERV
The word “wait” in the last verse can also be translated “trust”. When we trust the Lord, we find new strength. We can rely on Him instead of our own abilities and then we will soar.
May I ask, what has been weighing you down? What has been causing you to become weary or has caused you to stumble or fall?
Wait on the Lord – He will give you new strength and show you how to soar!