Eagles or Turkeys? A Timeous Reminder

Submitted by Herschel Raysman on Thu, 09/20/2012 - 16:32

I had the privilege of hearing Sigi Oblander speak recently, and would like to share some profound gems so appropriate for this time of new beginnings.

“Those who wait on 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 faint.” Is. 40:31

Did you know that an eagle has a lifespan of approx. 70 years? When it reaches the age of 35, it needs to undergo a process of renewal in order to avoid a premature death. This means that it will find a secret place high up in the mountains and begin to pluck all its feathers out. It will then proceed to break its calcium encrusted beak and dash its talons against the mountain until they are all broken off. You can then imagine how vulnerable and defenseless it is until this process is completed and a renewed eagle emerges.

What an amazing picture for us as we ponder on this. Renewal and pain? Complete submission in order to allow the process to be completed? Presenting ourselves before the King of Kings, without dictating how we want it to be?

Yom Kippur presents us all with this opportunity to put away the stuff that we have held onto for years – disappointments, hurts, divorce, dysfunctional childhoods – the list is endless….its never too late to start over and rise up above those circumstances. Many of us exist but we do not really live!

Interestingly, the reason for the new feathers is to ensure that when hunting the prey, the element of surprise is there. The “old” feathers cause a whistling noise when diving through the air – allowing the prey to escape! A wonderful picture of how the submission to the renewal allows the eagle to have power to catch the prey!

Let us be encouraged to go forward into this season of renewal, to stop flapping and allow the Holy Spirit to call us into a new and higher dimension, and have our spiritual youthfulness restored!

- Eva Rausch