Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive …
That’s how the Superman television series used to begin. Power first. Right up front. Bad guys beware, because Superman is about to swoop down on you and rain on your parade.
Actually, the world at large LOVES our superheroes. As I’ve traveled into some of the most remote places on the planet, I’ve seen kids wearing t-shirts featuring Iron Man, the Avengers, Spider-Man, Batman and a host of others. This becomes even more plain to see at the box office. Many of the Marvel movies brought in box office revenues exceeding one billion dollars, and as of last month the Marvel Cinematic Universe had earned more than $23 billion dollars worldwide.
And each movie follows the same basic script concept.
Meet the superhero. Meet some of the superhero’s friends. (One of them is special in some way.) Meet the bad guy. Bad guy concocts an evil plan. Plan impacts special friend, they are in danger. Super hero steps in and saves the world, AND the special friend. Bad guy looks defeated, but rises up for one last battle, and it’s a whopper! Superhero wins in the end. Fade to black.
And that (believe it or not) leads us to today’s verse:
THEY WILL SOAR ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES
Eagles are referenced with some frequency in the bible. With four distinct species of eagle identified in Israel, they are a natural illustration. They are used to portray power, vengeance, warnings, military prowess, fear-inspiring awe, protection, destruction and much more. If heaven has a football team, it’s probably named the Eagles. (That’s NOT in the bible, by the way; I’m merely speculating.)
God’s intervention against enemy armies is described as an eagle that will soar and then swoop down, spreading its wings over the enemy’s camp. God says that when He does, the hearts of the enemy’s warriors will be like the heart of a woman in labor. Think about images of an invading army flat on their back and wailing in pain. Wow !!
When He rescues His people from Egypt, God describes it by saying He carried the Israelites on eagles’ wings and brought them to Himself. Reading that reminds me of the protection God provided, the food and water, and the care He gave.
THEY WILL SOAR ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES
The first word of this verse is significant — THEY. Who is the they that the verse is discussing? That’s important to know, because there are some great promises for “them” to hold onto.
Israel’s first king, King Saul was described as being “swifter than an eagle;” and so was his son Jonathan. But this verse isn’t relating to them.
The first part of the verse says those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They are the “they” who will soar on wings like eagles. The verse goes on to say they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not get exhausted.
Your decision to TRUST – to put your hope in the Lord – that makes you part of the “they” and delivers the promises of God into your life, your situation.
YOU WILL SOAR ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES
Yes – YOU!!! When you choose to trust in Christ, He sustains you. As you praise Him and recall all He has done for you, you’ll see that He comes SWIFTLY and POWERFULLY to fulfill the desires of your heart. (The desires that He placed there as He conformed you to His image, the things you REALLY want deep inside.) And as He does, you’ll see that your strength is renewed … SWIFTLY.
After baby eagles get to a certain size, they are pushed from their nest by one of their parents. The reason is because they were created to fly, but they don’t know that yet. Hurtling down towards what appears to be certain death, the babies must be wondering what the kind of a parent pushes its own child out of the nest, or what it has done to deserve such treatment. But the parent swoops in under the eaglet, catches it on its back, flies back to the nest and deposits the child. The eagle is teaching its child to fly. The process is uncomfortable, but utterly necessary. And it develops skills the eagle needs.
Renewal and refreshing at the speed of grace. Soaring high and swooping in, spreading the wings of grace like an eagle over you to shelter you. Carrying you on eagle’s wings and bringing you to Himself.
How fast is the speed of grace? One could say “faster than a speeding bullet” and not be wrong.
I have a rambunctious t-shirt with the image of a rifle on it. It says “The quickest way to a man’s heart is 2970 feet per second.” But the shirt is wrong. The quickest way to a man’s heart is the speed of grace. Grace reaches deeper, grace changes the heart; grace wins.
It occurs to me that Marvel has adapted the storyline of the bible for their superhero movies. The bible contains the ultimate superhero story.
Meet the superhero. (That would be Jesus. You REALLY need to meet Him.)
Meet some of the superhero’s friends. (YOU are special to Him.)
Meet the bad guy. (And you will, because you are the one he is hunting.)
Bad guy concocts an evil plan. (The enemy is out to steal from you, kill you and utterly destroy you.)
Plan impacts special friend, they are in danger. (Yes, you are.)
Super hero steps in and saves the world. (Yes, He did.)
AND the special friend. (Yes, the offer is open to YOU.)
Bad guy looks defeated, but rises up for one last battle, and it’s a whopper! (Described in the book of Revelation.)
Superhero wins in the end. (Yes, He does.)
Have you felt like God has abandoned you, pushed you out of the nest? Does it appear that you’re hopelessly falling and facing certain destruction? If you belong to Christ, TRUST HIM. He’s only teaching you to fly.
Invite Christ to swoop into your life at the speed of grace, and let Him spread His wings of grace under you like an eagle under its young. Then allow Him to carry you aloft, above the cares and issues that trouble you; carrying you unto Himself. And learn to fly upon your own wings, the wings He’s created within you.
THEY WILL SOAR ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES
