As The Eagle Stirs Up Her Nest…

 John Clardy

Deuteronomy 32:11    As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:

There is just something majestic and regal about eagles.  It is as if they occupy a sovereign position above the rest of creation.  I for one am thankful that Benjamin Franklin did not prevail in his bid to have the wild turkey designated as our national bird instead of the bald eagle. While wild turkeys are fascinating and colorful, as well as, very resilient, let’s be real, they can hold no comparison to an eagle.

Even God, in an attempt to help man understand His nature, compares Himself to an eagle.  In Exodus 19:4 God, reminds the Children of Israel of the way He delivered them from the Egyptians and “…how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.”

But God also compares His authorization and allowances of sharp edged, thorny situations to move His children out of their comfort zones and into maturity, to an eagle that stirs up its nest.

Though many of us have seen pictures of a huge eagle’s nest high in the branches of a tree or in the crag of a cliff, few of us have gotten a glimpse inside. When a mother eagle builds her nest she starts with thorns, broken branches, sharp rocks, and a number of other items that seem entirely unsuitable for the project. But then she lines the nest with a thick padding of wool, feathers, and fur from animals she has killed, making it soft and comfortable for the eggs. By the time the growing birds reach flying age, the comfort of the nest and the luxury of free meals make them quite reluctant to leave. That’s when the mother eagle begins “stirring up the nest.” With her strong talons she begins pulling up the thick carpet of fur and feathers, bringing the sharp rocks and branches to the surface. As more of the bedding gets plucked up, the nest becomes more uncomfortable for the young eagles. Eventually, this and other urgings prompt the growing eagles to leave their once-comfortable abode and move on to more mature behavior. (Today in the Word - June 11, 1989)

We where not created to scratch with the turkeys, but to soar with the eagles. But without trials and tribulations, we would grow lax in our pursuit of spiritual maturity and excellence, because our natural tendency is to be satisfied with the average and mediocre. 

God has designed us for spiritual excellence! He loves us too much to allow us to relax in the luxury of His blessings!  If we do not respond to the gentle nudging of His Spirit, He will stir up our lives with struggles, sickness and sorrow. He will “push us out” of our comfortable surroundings so that we can realize the potential He has put into each of our souls.

“Those who waddle comfortably through life, never learning to soar, may be in for a rude awakening when the heavens open and they have no wings to heed the call to fly.” Author Unknown