Shalom,
Please begin by reading Isa 40:31.
Isaiah is relating something very understandable and recognizable to his readers. In the Sinai desert you can watch eagles soar to amazing heights on the updrafts and currents. An Israeli guide tells his tour group: "They lock their wings, pick the thermals, and ride the Breath of God above any storms." Whenever one of these rare storms comes across the desert it's usually full of mighty thunderheads and reaches 25-30,000 feet in height. The eagles actually climb above the storms to avoid them.
The Israeli guide says the eagles ride the Breath of God. If you ask a Hebrew to describe the Holy Spirit they'll most often use the term RUACH. That's the same word used in Psalm 51:10 by King David. "Do not take your Holy Spirit (RUACH) from me." With the eagles, it's a roaring wind that howls through the canyons and mountains. It's the mighty winds of the storm blowing across the wilderness accompanied by flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder.
The eagles ride to stunning heights on hot air thermals. They'll ascend to unbelievable heights, using the air currents that are destroying things on the ground to carry them over the fury of the storm to safety on the other side. They circle ever higher until they're out of sight of the human eye. Think of the eagle's determination in the face of such impossible odds. He just locks his wings, and sometimes they ice up, so that nothing can keep him from climbing. He trusts the Breath of God. When storms enter our lives, when things seem out of control, remember the eagles.
The film "Chariots of Fire" includes the story of missionary Eric Liddell, who refused to run in the 100 meters race at the 1924 Paris Olympics because it involved running on a Sunday. Liddell believed that to be a ungodly thing to do on his day of worship. He was probably the fastest man alive at that time and was the favorite to win. The press and even the Prince of Wales tried hard to talk him into running, but he resolutely refused. No human pressure could make this man of God change his mind about his convictions. He was going to obey his Lord above all else.
On the day of the race he refused to run in, he went to Scottish Presbyterian Church and read the lesson from Isa 40:31. This scripture was very timely and seemed to capture the situation. He was then given the opportunity to run in 400 meters race, a distance he'd never competed at before. And God honored him for taking a stand. Liddell ran the 400 meters at a 100 meters pace. The experts thought he was running the first 100 meters too fast and would tire and end up losing the race. But it wasn't to be and he won the race with a new world record time.
When Liddell's sister tries to talk him out of going to the Olympics because she felt he was wasting time and should go straight to the mission field, he answered her about his running in a very strong way. He told her, "When I'm running I feel God's joy." As Christians, our Lord wants us to rely on him no matter what we're doing or involved in. As we look to him, he'll give us the strength to continue when we're tempted to give in. There are times when we want to throw in the towel and quit. But when we look to Yahweh, he "will renew our strength."
Soaring on wings like eagles is a growing process, taking time and practice. Eagles make their nests from briars and thorns before inlaying them with animal skins to stop the nasty stuff from hurting the baby eagles. The eaglets are fed and cared for until the day Momma eagle decides it's the day for them to learn how to fly. All they've known is the safety and security of the nest. They've been completely cared for and nurtured.
The day Momma wants them to learn to fly is most likely a shock to the eaglets. They aren't keen on the idea of leaving the nest, so their mother begins to pull the animal skins off the briars and thorns, forcing them to leave the nest. The little ones climb on Momma's back and she flies thousands of feet into the air. Suddenly she tips her wings and the little ones are dropping through the sky. They flap and try hard to fly, but it's their first time and they don't seem ready to fly yet. Just before they're about to be splattered on the ground, Momma swoops down and catches her baby. This process is repeated until the little one begins to fly on its own.
Becoming a Christian is a lot like that. When we first get saved we feel protected in the nest, but Yahweh soon takes us out and teaches us to soar like eagles. If he wanted chickens scratching around on the ground that's the illustration he would have given to us. But he doesn't want us grounded. He wants us to be able to soar over the storms and ride out the rough stuff in the heights. And don't be spiritual grasshoppers either. If our Christian walk is based on enthusiasm alone, we become a bunch of grasshoppers bouncing all around, but again they don't soar high in the sky.
If we're spiritual grasshoppers, all we can do is bounce up and down. We're still attached to the ground, no matter how high we jump. We become spiritual yo-yo's, forever going up and down. We need more than enthusiasm to stay airborne. It's nice to display the energy a grasshopper does, but we need to be able to soar even when we're weak and struggling. And that only happens when we fully trust in the RUACH to keep us aloft and soaring.
There's a lot more to Christianity than living off our experiences. Being born again is an experience, like many other things. But if the experience doesn't become an ongoing process of growth and maturity, we won't won't be able to soar like the eagle. We'll eventually fall back to earth like the eaglet, and we'll likely end up worse off than when we started.
We need to go beyond our experiences and memories of past glory to truly seek after Yahweh's salvation. Salvation is an ongoing process, not just the point of our beginning to walk in faith. We're saved at the point of conversion. We're being saved every time we ask forgiveness for our sins and whenever we faithfully serve Jesus Messiah Master. But only when we reach our eternal reward are we really and truly and fully saved.
Hope and wisdom allow us to be soaring saints, lifted above the trials of this world secure in our Lord's presence. The RUACH not only controls our flight path in the face of the oncoming storms, but our Lord also enables us to soar to the exalted corridors of heaven and brush our wings against the angel's wings. The more we trust in what the Spirit is doing for us, the less we depend on our own strength and ability. When we have true biblical hope we know for certain that our faith is something tangible and solid. When we begin to walk that sure of Yahweh, wisdom is readily at hand because we're dwelling in his presence.
Recognize who you are: you're an eagle, not a chicken or grasshopper. You're not stuck on the ground when the storms of life come your way. Be more willing to cooperate with the activities of the Holy Spirit. Lock your wings and take off, allow Yahweh to send you soaring. Trying to remain in your nest while the storm is blowing can be disastrous. Our hope remains in launching out in faith against even the greatest obstacles.
If you raised an eagle with a flock of chickens, you'd still have an eagle on your hands. That bird may not know it can soar high in the sky because it's whole experience is with chickens. You may feel that way. No one has encouraged you to soar. Wrong, someone certainly has encouraged you to be like an eagle. Yahweh, your Lord God Almighty says "Those who hope in Yahweh" not only can, but will soar and have strength to make it through this world.
Wisdom tells us to avoid stress and soar with the Holy Spirit on high. Our problems look exceedingly small from the heights he'll take us to. Wouldn't you rather be able to run and not grow weary, or walk and not faint? Isaiah wrote those words under the inspiration of the RUACH , the Breath of God who inspired all Scripture to be written. You can trust that these words are for you.
Eagles are majestic creatures, inspiring wonderfuls thoughts and ideas. Chickens are common and ordinary, providing us mainly with eggs and meat. Grasshoppers are small and insignificant, mostly serving as food for other creatures and even some humans. Which would you rather be? Strive to be inspiring to others, instead of being common, ordinary, and insignificant. Yahweh says you can reach this, you can attain to the heights. Trust him and soar on wings like eagles.
Blessings & Peace, Mike
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Blessings! I hope that this study has enlightened you or helped you in some way. Please feel free to leave a plain old comment, or a question. Comments are moderated to keep the peace