Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Thursday, April 7, 2016

"He [God] spreads his wings over them. Even as an eagle overspreads her young. She carries them upon her wingsâ€"as does the Lord his people [Israel]."¹

According to Mike Johnson, one interesting thing about eagles is how they build their nests.

Those who have studied such things tell us that the building of the nest begins with all kinds of prickly and sharp things. Briars, jagged sticks, and other sharp things are laid down first.

The mother eagle then fills this foreboding place with the softest things she can find. Wool, feathers, and fur from her kills change the nest into a place that is not only desirable, but also inviting. Here the babies grow in a very comfortable environment.

At the proper time, the mother reverses the process. She begins to stir up the nest exposing the sharp items with which the nest began. She throws the wool, feathers and fur to the wind, thereby making the nest not so friendly a place to be. After a short period of time, the babies, now mature enough to leave, cannot stand the discomfort of the nest any longerâ€"wanting to be anywhere else.

This is the mother's way of forcing her babies to maturity. She knows that if they do not get out on their own, experiencing life, and learn to feed and care for themselves, they will have no future.²

While today's scripture lesson was directed to the young nation of Israel, its message applies to all of God's children. God will stir up our nest (our comfortable places of ease) to motivate us to grow, to mature, to depend on the Lord so that we, too, will renew our strength and mount up with wings like eagles, run and not be weary, and walk and not faint.³

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You that You love me just as I am, but love me too much to leave me as I am. And thank You that You use the uncomfortable circumstances of my life to motivate me to grow, to become more mature, and to make me strong so that I will be equipped to achieve the heights You have envisioned for me to reach. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Deuteronomy 32:11 (TLB-NIV).
2. Source: Mike Johnson KneEmail www.oakhillcoc.org
3. See Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV).

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