There are times when you read something, especially a good word picture – and it sticks with you. You ruminate on it and toss it back it forth in your mind and then it settles into you and helps you clearly make choices.
I’d like to introduce you to such a word picture I read in Anne Graham Lutz’ book, Why? Trusting God When You Don’t Understand. In this book she addresses, with wisdom, very well the choice each of us must make when faced with a storm. She artfully illustrates our choice by comparing the life of a turkey with the life of an eagle. This is a comparison I would like you to think about for a bit.
A turkey and an eagle react differently to the threat of a storm. A turkey reacts by running under the barn, hoping the storm won’t come near. On the other hand, an eagle leaves the security of its nest and spreads its wings to ride the air currents of the approaching storm, knowing it will be carried higher in the sky than it could soar on its own. Based on your reaction to the storms of life, which are you? A turkey or an eagle?
It’s natural for me to be a turkey in my emotions, but I have chosen to be an eagle in my spirit. And as I have spread my wings of faith to embrace the “Wind,” placing my trust in Jesus and Jesus alone, I have experienced quiet, “everyday” miracles:
His joy has balanced my pain.
His power has lifted my burden.
His peace has calmed my worries.
His grace has been more than adequate to cover me.
His strength has been sufficient to carry me through.
His love has bathed my wounds like a healing balm.
Aren’t her words filled with wisdom and truth?
From his hiding place down under the barn that turkey is inwardly focused and hiding from the others in the barnyard, and his maker, shaking in his feathers wondering, what’s going to happen to me? The eagle on the other hand, by soaring over the storm, not only has his focus on gaining strength and perspective through the storm, he is not hiding and shaking in his feathers, but is able to oversee the condition of others and by proximity is closer to his maker.
For the turkey, it’s all about me, for the eagle it’s all about God, others and soaring with confidence in who is in control of the wind. There is fear in the turkey contrasted by joy in the eagle.
Did you notice in the above lines where her every day miracles come from? His joy, His power, His peace, His grace, His strength, His love…every day.
I don’t know about you, but I am going to choose to be an eagle – with God’s help, it is possible for us all.
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