[CS-FSLUG] "When the Eagle Can't Fly"

[Fred Miller]

A WORD WITH YOU
By Ron Hutchcraft
#4651 - "When the Eagle Can't Fly"
Isaiah 40:28 

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        You've probably seen pictures of an eagle, and I'll bet he was soaring 
majestically, right? You may have actually seen some eagles - it's always 
something special when you see one. The eagles you've seen were most likely 
soaring when you saw them. But there are times that they can't even fly, and 
very few people have ever seen them in their bad times. But eagles do get 
sick, and sometimes when they're sick they're almost immobilized. They're 
weak, they're depleted, and frankly they're not much to see. When an eagle 
crashes like that he goes off to a place where he can be alone, often atop a 
high cliff. And he lies out in the sun, face up, spread-eagled, totally 
collapsed. God has outfitted the eagle with eyes that can look at the sun 
without any damage, and that's what the powerless eagle does. He focuses his 
eyes on the sun and he lies there until his strength comes back. Oh yeah, the 
eagle crashes, but he knows how to come back to soar again! 

        I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about 
"When the Eagle Can't Fly." 

        It's not just eagles that crash - so do we. We all go through those 
times when we have nothing left to give. You may be in one of those seasons 
right now. You're weak, you're depleted, you're exhausted, you're physically, 
emotionally, spiritually drained. You don't have the personal resources to 
meet the challenges - the demands that you've got in front of you. It's in 
those moments that you become a candidate for resources far beyond your own. 
You might call it "eagle power." 

        It's described in our word for today from the Word of God in the 
familiar words of Isaiah 40, beginning with verse 28. "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." If the word "weak" or 
"weary" would describe you right now, then this next promise has your name on 
it. "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." 

        If we can grasp how it is that an eagle in crash mode renews his 
strength, we'll understand how we can renew ours - and then "soar on wings 
like eagles." Just picture that usually strong eagle, sprawled out 
powerlessly, eyes focused on the sun, and his body and spirit soaking up its 
strength. He totally gives up in order to gain strength. The law of God's 
renewing work is simple - you have to surrender to get strong. 

        God hasn't allowed you to reach the end of you so you'll give up, but 
so you'll give up control! It's time to finally take your fingers off that 
steering wheel you've held onto so tightly and relinquish all control to 
Almighty God. "I give up, Lord. I can't fix it. I can't figure it out. I 
can't contribute anything to a solution. I'm wiped out and totally releasing 
all of me and all of my issues to you." At that moment, God miraculously 
begins to replace your weakness with His unlimited strength and your 
confusion with His infinite wisdom, your exhaustion for His boundless energy, 
and your despair for His indomitable hope. 

        That surrender can't just be a one-time thing. Paul said we're 
"renewed day by day." You need to come to Him each new day, confessing your 
powerlessness, surrendering control, and downloading His strength and power. 
When you keep your eyes on the Son of God, when you totally surrender to Him, 
you'll become a candidate for His strength and His power. And you are ready 
again to soar on eagles' wings.

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-- 
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to 
have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the
vote." - Benjamin Franklin 1759