The
trees that stood tall beside an Alaska river made great perches for all kinds
of birds, especially eagles. The beady-eyed creatures watched all of us
tourists to be sure we weren’t a threat. We were spellbound when an eagle
spread its wings and took flight. What a beautiful sight to see our American
symbol cast its shadow on the water below as it soared into the sky. I had
hoped when we took our Alaska trip to see these magnificent birds, and I was
not disappointed.
When
the Philadelphia Eagles played against the New England Patriots in the Super
Bowl, I decided to root for the underdog Eagles. Professional football is not
what I enjoy watching on Sundays, but made an exception for this big game. I’ve
been especially turned off by the lack of respect for the Flag and National
Anthem and oversexualized half time shows. But when I read stories about the camaraderie
among many of the Eagles’ team members because of their shared Christian
beliefs, I decided to watch the game.
Once
again I was not disappointed. A
hard-fought game handed the Eagles a long-sought victory. The personal
testimonies of the coach, quarterback, and others after the win gave glory to
God and Jesus Christ for their abilities and the cohesiveness of the team. What
inspiring words for a worldwide football audience.
During
church last Sunday, our pastor, Jim Conrad, preached another inspiring message
about eagles from the prophet Isaiah (40:28-31 NIV).
“Do you not know?
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.
He gives strength to the weary
and
increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and
young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will
renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they
will run and not grow weary,
they
will walk and not be faint.”
The message he delivered said that when we hope in the Lord, he provides
great benefits for every situation in life. When we are in a tough time, God
will walk with us through it. He will also
help us run the race of everyday life, and at other times help our faith soar
like an eagle. In other words—He will never disappoint.
This is Charles’ favorite verse in the Bible and his life’s
inspiration. We are using this verse on the
first page of his memoir, Chasing the
Whirlwind. It sets the tone for his
story of overcoming life’s challenges and making a difference in the aviation
industry. Stay tuned.
Asked Jim if his sermon was planned with THE EAGLES in mind? The coach for the Eagles was the head coach at Calvary Baptist Shreveport LA, a school my brother started years ago. My nephew, a cardiologist, is/was an assistant volunteer coach there!
ReplyDeleteThank you to my friend who has learned to not grow weary in well doing... to wait on the Lord, to overcome the huge challenges in your own life by mounting up on wings as eagles. Both running and walking can be challenges for us, much less soaring above the circumstances... but that's where God comes in. We are in Christ! He does not faint or grow weary; on the other hand, HE GIVES POWER TO THE FAINT and INCREASES OUR STRENGTH. Thank you, Frieda from Carleen
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