"On Eagles' Wings"

"As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: so the Lord alone did lead them" (Deut. 32:11)

The writers of the Bible used the eagle as a symbol of strength and wisdom. When the mother eagle nudges her young over the edge of the nest, and they take off on their first flight over the deep chasm, she watches them closely. At the first sign that their strength is giving out she swoops below the faltering youngster, catches it on her back, and carries it back to the nest.

Is not that what God does for his children, too? He knows how far we can go. He knows the limits of our ability and our strength. And when we have reached the limit of our endurance, he is there waiting to help us over the hump. God never places a burden upon us that we cannot carry.

Some Indian tribes used to follow the practice of send­ing their youth out into the wilderness to spend the night alone. Though they were afraid they knew that their fathers before them had survived the ordeal. What they did not know, however, was that those same fathers were hiding nearby, with arrow ready in the bow, alert for the first sign of danger.

One of the greatest of all adventures in life is growing up. Some of our first "solo" flights will be terrifying. But we must never lose sight of the fact that others have gone on before us. We are not being asked to do anything that someone else has not already done. And, best of all, God is always there to give us strength and courage.

I am going to enjoy every second of growing up, dear Lord.