On eagles’ wings

When the people found Jesus on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Teacher, when did you get here?’ Jesus answered, ‘I am telling you the truth: you are looking for me because you ate the bread and had all you wanted, not because you understood my miracles. Do not work for food that goes bad; instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life. This is the food which the Son of Man will give you, because God, the Father, has put his mark of approval on him.‘ (verses 25-27)

Read John 6:16-27

An eaglet was brought up by a brood of chickens. He learnt how to scratch in the dirt for his food. He learnt to flap his wings and hop from place to place. He learnt how to cackle and fuss when a fox approached. In essence he learnt how to be a chicken. One day he saw another eagle soaring on the wind. Oh, to soar like that, he thought. But how could I? For I am only a chicken. He stretched his long wings wide and flapped and hopped. But he didn’t try to fly, for, after all, he was only a chicken. The eagle never learnt to fly.

We will never fly either so long as we scratch in the dirt for our food. We will never soar on eagles’ wings if we believe our destiny belongs in this life and this world. We will never know freedom until we lift our sights to heaven. We will never truly know God until we stretch our Spirit wings—and fly. Let God stretch your wings and empower you to fly.

Spirit of God, lift my sights heavenwards and, with your wind beneath my wings, teach me how to fly. Amen.

by Linda Macqueen, in ‘New Strength for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 1998)

Visit the Daily Devotion archives page.