Sent: Friday, January 18, 2002

Subject: Soaring like Eagles

Good Morning Ethan & Emily:

I would like to finish our several brief studies on “waiting” with a great verse from Isaiah.   You might remember that when Pastor Efaw retired from the active pastorship of Grace Gospel Church in Huntington, your mother and I gave him one of our Ray Harm eagle prints.  The one we gave him pictured a majestic eagle in flight and on the bottom, we had inscribed on a brass plate the following verse:

“But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength.  They will fly high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint.”  (Isaiah 40:31)

Not only at a time of  redirection and change such as at retirement do we need “new strength,” but every day…as we face challenges, questions, and choices.  From our study over the past several days, I pray that you now fully realize the blessedness of “waiting patiently” on the Lord to act….versus the often disastrous results of rushing in “Rambo style” to fight our own battles.

One of the best Biblical examples we have who modeled “waiting” so well for us is David.  Although he was anointed as King by Samuel as a teenager, it was many years before he claimed his kingship publicly.  Moreover, although he had repeated opportunities to so do, he steadfastly refused to harm Saul in spite of Saul’s many attempts to kill him.   What was his “secret”?  How could he wait so long without giving up?  I believe we find his secret for living in 1 Samuel 30:6b:  “David found strength in the Lord His God.”

As you know in Divorce Recovery Workshop there is one series where I dramatically act out several scenes from David’s life, and it is always a blessing for me to represent this man…who although had periods of great sin in his life…nevertheless was identified as a “man after God’s own heart.”  (Acts 13:22)  This verse ends up explaining why David was so named:  “…for he will do everying I (God) want him to.”   May that be our goal…every minute of every day!

So…if we find ourselves in situation where answers to our problems or requests to God seem nonexistent or far away…let us find in waiting, “new strength” as we “fly high on wings like eagles.”  

Wow…what a “rush” as we view the world soaring high in the sky…and how small our problems look from up at these heights!    Soaring like eagles will help give us a heavenly perspective and will keep us more than occupied as we “wait patiently” on Him.

Have a wonderful day trying out your “wings.”

All my love,

Dad