1. Eagles Have Vision
If you ever happen to see an eagle sitting high above the tree or cliff of a stiff mountain, watch closely and see how attentive the bird is. The body sits still and the head will be tilted side to side to observed what is happening below, around and above it. Even if it’s flying close by, you can observe how keen its eyes are looking for its prey. Eagles have a keen vision. Their eyes are specially designed for long distance focus and clarity. They can spot another eagle soaring from 50 miles away. When we look at these characteristics through Christian eyes we must see as God’s sees. The eagle rarely missing an opportunity because it is so focused on the big picture, which allows it to then see the opportunity. We must remember as Christians the Lord has a sovereign plan and we have to be willing to look at the larger picture, not just our small part.
“…For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!” Isaiah 5:21
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8
2. Eagles are Fearless
An eagle will never surrender to the size or strength of its prey. It will always give a fight to win its prey or regain its territory. Watch a video on how the Golden Eagle displays remarkable hunting strategy, preying on goats much larger than it by throwing them off the cliff face. As Christians we must be ready to fight to hold on to our families, marriages, morals, and our faith with every ounce of strength we possession. Of course the devil hopes we will be defeated in our minds thinking situations are hopeless, but God calls us to rise up and fight.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12
“Do you not know?Have you not heard?The Lord is the everlasting God,the Creator of the ends of the earth.He will not grow tired or weary,and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the wearyand increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary,and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lordwill renew their strength.They will soar on wings like eagles;they will run and not grow weary,they will walk and not be faint.”
3. Eagles are Tenacious
Eagles are the only birds that love a storm. When all other birds try to flee from the storm and hide itself from the fierceness of it, eagles fly in to it and will use the wind of the storm to rise higher in a fraction of seconds. It uses the pressure of the storm to glide higher without using its own energy. It is able to do this because God has created it uniquely with an ability to lock its wings in a fixed position, in the midst of the fierce storm winds. After a certain period of experiencing storms face to face, the eagles love to play in the storms. The storms in life that we as God's royal eagles face are trials, tribulations and temptations (John 16:33; James 1:12). As we face the stormy wind of afflictions in life, the Holy Spirit helps us lock our mind in a fixed position on the finished work of the Cross. This is the reason Apostle James said, "2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" (James 1:2-4). We as a person of royalty need to take a quality decision of accepting trials willingly with joy because it lifts us in to higher altitude of spirituality without us wasting even an ounce of energy.
4. Eagles are High Flyers
Eagles always build their nests on high places where enemies cannot easily reach. Eagles can fly up to an altitude of 10,000 feet, but they are able to swiftly land on the ground. At 10, 000 feet, you will never find another bird. It was Dr. Myles Munroe who said, “An eagle doesn't mingle around with the pigeons.” Pigeons scavenge on the ground and grumble and complain all day long. Eagles do not. They fly in silence waiting for opportunities to strike their next prey or glide with the current of the storm. As Christians we are to take the challenge to live our life exalted and lifted up to God. I think about it like this: How many pigeons do you see a day? If you are in a city you probably see hundreds of pigeons. How many eagles do you see? Not many. Anyone can be a pigeon and walk on the ground as everyone else, but God has called us to a life set apart for Him.
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Mathew 7:13-14
“Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:26-27
5. Eagles Never Eat Dead Meat
An eagle never eats dead meat. In other words, an eagle does not scavenge. It only eats the meat from the prey it kills itself. Eagles eat raw and fresh meat. As Christian we should spend our time on things that are worthwhile and God honoring. We should never spend our time on idle gossip, immorality, or things that do not build us up in the Word of God. We should also give the Lord the best of our time, money, and focus. Just as the eagle does not want leftovers from another bird’s kill, the Lord does not want our leftovers from our gods (little g/idols). God is a jealous God and seeks the best we have to offer.
“….whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.” Philippians 4:8
“See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.” 1 Thessalonians 5:15
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29
6. Eagles posses Vitality
Eagles are full of life and are visionary but they find time to look back at their life and re-energize themselves. When the eagles reach the age of 30, their physical body condition deteriorates fast making it difficult for them to survive. What is really interesting is that the eagle never gives up living, instead it retreats to a mountaintop and over a five month period goes through a metamorphosis. It knocks off its own beak by banging it against a rock, plucks out its talons and then feathers. Each stage produces a re-growth of the removed body parts, allowing the eagle to live for another 30 - 40 years. It stays in the hiding place until all the new feathers comes back to make it fly dynamically with little effort. It is willing to go through pain in order to have a new stronger body. There are times in our life that we just need to hide our selves in the cleft of the rock. Sometimes life and circumstances are so hard that we need to cling to the Father with our very life. We have to retreat and survey our life. We have to look at behaviors that do not please the Lord. We have to be willing, just as the eagle, to pluck those things from our life. By getting rid of the sinful nature we allow the Lord to flow freely in our life. Although it can be very difficult and painful process, it is a necessity for our spiritual survival.
You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word. Psalm 119:113-17
19 How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you. 20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling from accusing tongues. Psalm 39:19-20
7. Eagles Nurture their younger ones
Eagles are known for their aggression in some areas of their life. Research has shown however, that no member of the bird family is more gentle and attentive to its young than the eagles.
When the mother eagle sees the time has come for it to teach the eaglets to fly, she gathers an eaglet onto her back, spreads her wings, and flies high. Suddenly she swoops out from under the eaglets and allows them to fall. As they fall, they gradually learn the purpose of their wings. The mother then catches them on her back. The process is repeated many times. If the young are slow or cowardly to learn, she returns them to the nest and begins to tear it apart. Eventually, the eagle has dissolved the nest and nudges them off the cliff. Researchers believe this gives the eaglets an extra incentive to learn the flight pattern.
As I think of this picture of the eagle inventively watching over her young, I think of the Lord who does the same for His children. He carefully prepares our hearts for the task He has set before us. He is very patient in trying to teach us everything we need to know. Sometimes in our life it may take us many times before we learn the lesson. The eagle is patient but is never willing to allow the eaglets to stay in the nest. After much preparation the mom will literally devour the nest so the eaglets have no choice but to fly. In our stubbornness, occasionally, God is forced to do the same. He simply nudges us out of the nest because we are truly ready; we just refuse to fly. It is not because He does not care for us, but because He has made us for so much more. He wants us to know what it is like to live a life of freedom. When we look back at those times that felt like we were thrown from our nest, we can see how God used it for His Glory.
“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
“1 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. “ Jeremiah 29:11