Deureonomy 32:11
“Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, That hovers over its young, He spread His wings and caught them, He carried them on His pinions.”
I love this picture. The eagle is a mother. She feeds and cares for her babies. At some point, she knows they need to learn to fly. She stirs up her nest. She instinctively knows they are able. I’m not sure if she pushes them our or if they leap on their own. Some can fly while others can’t. She swoops down and catches and carries them.
This analogy is a description of how the Lord has cared for Israel. The Lord birthed or called out Abraham. His plan was to raised a people. Once they were an established family (twelve sons), He wanted them in Egypt for a time (several hundred years). At a point they were no longer welcome, so they became enslaved. At a time when He saw fit, He called them out to the promised land. They needed some maturity, so they had to stay in the wilderness for a time. Joshua led them into a land that would be their home. A whole history was lived which eventually brought forth the messiah. Which is open to all humanity.
The Lord has done something similar to all of us. He called and we responded (our new birth). We are now like the little ones in the nest. Initially, we need feeding and nurturing (Isaiah 40:11).
How does an invisible God feed and nurture? Psychologists have spoken about the early years of a child and the importance of attention. The Lord does put His Spirit in us. Romans 8:15b,16 says, “…but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.” This crying out reminds me of the baby bird crying out for it’s mother. Verse 16 is like the mother responding with love and nourishment. There is the inner connection with the Lord. Jesus closed the gap that sin produced. When we accept His forgiveness and guidance we are reconciled.
We’ve had a semblance of life before Christ. We live and function, yet without God. He calls us from the periphery. We sense Him. We pray and He’ll answer at a certain level. Almost like a weak, malnourished plant. However, once in Christ, it’s like receiving miracle grow, fertilized soil and the right amount of sunlight. We flourish.
Lord, thank You for calling and nurturing us.