Soar Like An Eagle – Theology Essay
They were not exactly barnyard buddies. As black clouds roiled high overhead and thunder rumbled in the distance, two birds looked up at the ominous sky. Though the two birds had lived in the barnyard since infancy they were as different as night and day. The chicken, with her beak down, was busy pecking in the dirt and trash.
She scratched in the debris searching for worms, scraps, and corn. She frantically finished her meal before she ran to the barn for refuge from the storm.
The appearance and actions of the other bird were quite opposite of the chicken. He sat on a fence post, his head lifted to the sky, and his sharp eyes piercing the dark rolling clouds over the mountain peak. As he stretched his wings, gusts of wind almost lifted him from his perch. The feathers of his wings that had once been clipped to prevent him from flying away had once again grown to their full length. Something stirred within his breast. Suddenly his keen eyes spotted a lone eagle soaring high above the storm clouds. He heard the sharp cry of the soaring eagle. The young eagle instinctively spread his wings. A gust of wind lifted him from his fence post and with a scream of freedom; he mounted up higher and higher on the air currents. He left the barnyard forever.
Eagles were made to soar not to live their lives like a chicken in the barnyard eating grubs and worms. When Jesus referred to chickens, he illustrated the type of people in Jerusalem who would not listen to his message. They travel in crowds, broods, and are earth-bound. They keep their eyes on the things of the world. They never lift up their heads to see Him who is above. They live on handouts and whatever unclean things they can find. Chickens cannot fly except to find a roost. They are confined by fences and are satisfied.
Eagles are born to soar. He has inherited a nature that cannot and will not survive captivity. They must be free to soar high in the sky. It may seem lonely up there, but the eagle doesn’t care. Because it is his nature to soar – not live with the multitudes in captivity.
God’s Word has much to say about the eagle. “There are three things that amaze me – no, four things I do understand: how an eagle glides through the sky” (Proverbs 30:18, 19 NLT).
You were created to soar like an eagle – not to live like a chicken. How can you come into your God given destiny and live the eagle life?
First – an eagle must BE BORN AN EAGLE. Someone once said, “If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, and looks like a duck – it is a duck.” An eagle must be born an eagle to be an eagle. Jesus said, “You must be born again” (John 3:3). “That which is of the flesh is flesh, that which is of the spirit is spirit.” When Adam sinned, sin came on the entire human race. Our spirit died. Jesus said we need a spiritual rebirth. When one puts faith in the sacrifice of Christ on the cross for their sins and receive Him as personal Savior and Lord, they are born again. They become like an eagle. “For as many as received Him gave He power to become sons of God, even as many as believed on Him” (John 1:12).
Second – eagles must FLY LIKE AN EAGLE. You may become a Christian, but you must learn to live like an eagle Christian. Eagles are symbolic of a certain type of person. “But they that wait upon the Lord . . . shall mount up with wings as eagles” (Isaiah 40:31). All children of God must learn to “mount up” like an eagle. Only those who will come to wait in His presence will be conformed to the image of the Son of God and rule and reign with Him forever. The glory that shines from His face changes them from the image of the earthly into the image of their regal heavenly king.
We can learn much about soaring like an eagle from Deuteronomy 2:11. It tells how the eagle gets his introduction to the practice of soaring in the heavens. The mother eagle “stirs up her nest”, “flutters over her young”, “spreads abroad her wings”, and “bears them on her wings.” The time comes when every eagle must leave the soft, secure nest and live the eagle life.
Looking down from the heights of its nest is scary for the young eaglet. It’s also dangerous. He is reluctant to venture out, so the mother makes it very uncomfortable in the nest. She tears up the soft bed, beats her wings over the eaglets, and finally spreads her wings and the eaglet is taken for a ride on her back. Suddenly the eaglet tumbles off and must either spread its wings and learn to fly or crash to the ground. Tumbling end over end, the eaglet utters a frightened screech. After what seems like almost certain death, the mother eagle flies underneath and “bears it up on eagles wings”, until it learns to soar like an eagle.
Friend, God wants you to soar like an eagle. Be free from scratching in the dirt with the chickens. Commit your life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Learn to wait in His presence daily.
“They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up on wings as eagles” (Isaiah 40:31).