Under His Wings

Okay, get ready, here comes another analogy.

So there's this live eagle webcam. A bald eagle built a nest by a window of a college in Decorah, IA. The eagle laid three eggs. You can log in and watch this eagle 24-7 live and watch the progress of the eggs.

Two of the eggs have hatched. I find myself getting sucked into watching it and checking it continuously- it fascinates me.

The mother NEVER leaves the nest. How do the little babies get food? I wondered. There were dead carcasses of animals laying there. Yet I never saw the mother leave the nest.

Okay, this is where it gets gross. I happened to tune in briefly this morning, and in came another eagle! (I assume it was the father), with something in its mouth- A dead badger! He left it up by the nest and left again, and the mother tore it apart and fed pieces to her babies.

And another thing that fascinates me is that the mother sits on the babies. I am not sure how they breathe or get oxygen, but when she's not feeding them, she's laying on them.

You're probably wondering where I'm going with this....

I got to thinking, that relationship with the eagle and her babies is kind of like our relationship with God.

He NEVER leaves us. Ever. That mother would die before leaving her nest, the way it seems. The same thing happened for us- only He did die, when He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for us. That's how much He cared to protect us.

And the whole dead animal thing? Well, things may seem "gross" or unappealing to us, or "bad" and we may not understand what God is giving to us, but whatever He gives is good for us. Those babies might not like what Momma Eagle is dropping into their mouths, but its what they need.

And God puts before us exactly what we need. It may not always be what we want...

"Oh great, another piece of Badger guts... lovely"....

But He understands its what is best for us. Am I making sense here?

And one more stab at this analogy- How the mother smothers her babies- God does the same with us. He smothers us with His love. He's everywhere. We're not going to escape Him.

And then, I got to thinking about all of those great Bible references to eagles too, this morning....
"I carried you out on Eagle's wings and brought you to myself..." Exodus 19:4

"But those whose hope is in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not grow faint..." Isaiah 40:31

"He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge..."  Psalm 91:4

My eyes teared up reading those passages.


It's been a few days since we had my positive list update... So here it goes...
-"I love you to pieces!"

-"Oh Dylan, you are in for such great blessings in your future."

-Getting into the Scholastic Book Fair a day early and finding far too much to purchase.

-An e-mail from my Grandma that just made my day...

-Worship that focused on a darkness/light theme. (Thanks God, for the reminder.)

-I sat down and visited and shared a lot today with 2 professors whom I haven't talked to in far too long.

-"Dylan is sitting with us! This makes my day!"

-"Your attitude is contagious, Dylan!"

-Receiving a great feedback sheet from my 2nd Grade Co-Op Teacher. So reaffirming.

-As always, much time in prayer and conversation with God.