It gives comfort and hope to trust promises from Creator God. One such comforting and hopeful promise was proclaimed by the Prophet Isaiah of Old Testament times. I especially like Isaiah 40: 31, the verse that provides a visual for my mind’s eye.

“Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired,
they will walk and not become weary.”

(Isaiah 40: 28 – 31)

Our Great God helps the helpless, gives hope to the hopeless, and strengthens the weak. His promises give comfort as well as hope. They are true for all believers whether young, adult, or even mature Christians. His promises give hope even when we are weary. Notice I said when not if.

Eagles are majestic creatures especially in flight. I remember the first time I saw an eagle in nature. I watched in awe as it flew directly overhead. The experience was memorable, and the word that came to my mind at the time was “majestic.”

Since then my family has visited viewing sites where eagles nest during the winter. We’ve observed them in their nests on rocky cliffs, sweeping down to catch fish from a lake, and soaring majestically on air currents.

Have you considered that eagles are designed with characteristics that allow them to do what they do? They are known for their exceptional vision and keen ability to focus long distances. In fact an eagle may have the sharpest vision of any bird. Also eagles alone have the distinction of flying at the highest altitudes.

Eagles are designed with very long and large wings. Their wings are long and wide to bear their own body weight and additionally the weight of fish they catch and carry with their sharp and powerful talons.

According to scientists who studied eagles, Jon Gerrard and Gary Bortolotti, “Eagles are capable of sustained flapping flight, but they usually spend little time doing it.”

One eagle observed intensively in flight averaged less than 2 minutes per hour flapping. It’s understandable considering the large expenditure of energy required by the pectoral and supracoracoid muscles to power their huge wings. The energy needed to maintain a bird in soaring or gliding flight is much less (perhaps a 20th or even less) than the power needed for flapping. Eagles always choose to soar or glide when possible.

“That is why when eagles are flying long distances, especially on migration, they often soar on thermals until they reach a great altitude, and then use the gliding/soaring method of flying to cover the longest distance using the smallest amount of energy.”

(Journey North, University of Wisconsin – Madison)

Just like the air currents provided for eagles that allow them to soar high and majestically, our God provides that which is needed for us to soar above the mundane and negative constraints of life. We may soar into abundant living when we appropriate the gifts and provisions that God wants to give us. How much we miss when we depend on our own power and fly (or fall) in our own strength (or weakness)!

I believe God designed us to soar high like eagles. He is like the thermals on which we soar highest as we rest in Him and depend on Him. He is the power to gain new strength and not become weary. Let’s trust Him, rely on  His promises, find hope, then get ready to soar like eagles!

“Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired,
they will walk and not become weary.” (Isaiah 40: 31)