the eagle..

this is the gist of pastor nick's sermon last sunday.. talking about my favourite creature of the animal kingdom... most of you would know why too... unfortunately, i missed the bulk of the sermon coz of children's hour, which i think i'm quite bad at... can't believe that i actually came up with some stuff last minute to help the kids remember what was taught... if they still remember though...

anyway, this came really timely.. just when i needed renewal after falling into a pit... thanks to aunty jean for this timely reminder.. anyway, here goes...

1. Eagles only take fresh meat and not dead animals. Similarly, we are never greater than our intake of God's Word (meat). Focus on God... Jesus said the scriptures point to Him.

2. When the storms come, it mounts up and flies instead of hiding like other birds. It challenges the storm. What it does is, it focuses on the sun and flies toward the sun through the storm. When it gets pass the clouds, it lets the sun dries its feathers. When we are in a storm, stay focused on Jesus.

3. There is one bird bigger than the eagle - it's the Candor (or Turkey Buzzard). An Eagle's wingspan is 7.5 feet but the Candor is 10 feet. The Eagle weighs about 10 pounds but the Candor is about 20 pounds. So when the Candor goes after the eagle, it again focuses its eyes on the sun and flies toward it. (The Eagle is the only bird whose eyes can look at the sun but the Candor cannot). At some point, the Candor will give up the chase because it cannot stand looking toward the sun. When the enemy harasses you, run to the Lord, not people.

4. The Eagle is able to renew its strength. When it is worn out, Mrs Eagle may go catch a fresh rabbit for Mr Eagle and plonk it in front of him. He has to make a decision.. to eat what others has caught or to go and renew himself. He chooses to renew his feathers and the worn-out beak and claws by flying for 36 hours to a high point. There it plucks off his own feathers, smashes his own beak and claws and waits 40 days for renewed feathers and claws and beak to grow. That's where you get the verse Isaiah 40:31. Wait is an active waiting in expectancy.

"but those who hope 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 be faint."
Isaiah 40:31