Thursday, October 8, 2009

What a beauty He is!

My wonderful friend Laura gave me this article today that ministered to me so much that I want to try and share with you...it was talking about eagles and how there is a point in an eagles life where is gets old and has to make a choice to renew its strength or to just wait out its time to die. It is the only animal that can actually renew its strength. As an eagle grows old it develops crustacean around its beak and its feathers start to break and fall out. If the eagle chooses to have its strength renewed it goes off to find a cave that can sustain it through the amount of time it needs to go through this process. The cave must have food and water nearby.

Once it finds this cave it begins to scratch of this crustacean off with the rock and it begins to pluck out its feathers out one by one all while sitting inside this cave hidden in 'the rock'. It does this until it is completely bare and everything is exposed. You can see every scratch and scar on its body. Three times a day the eagle goes to a waterfall and stands under the water for a long period of time. It takes 30 days for the wings to grow back and another week for oil sacks to grow under its wings and the process to end.

There are so many parallels to us and our Creator and how He wants us to hide in Him and get completely bare and uncovered and allow Him to wash over us and renew our strength and give us fresh oil. I think it looks different in each persons life too. I think I am finding out that the place where this happens to me is in a very childlike way. I find myself going to a place in my imagination with God where I can be like a child just spending time with him and talking with Him about what is going on with me. It is also a place where there are no stresses or cares of my daily life. There is freedom to be me and to be bare and exposed without any judgment or condemnation.

What a beauty you are Jesus...

3 comments:

Mary said...

Thank you for posting that encourging note! We take our ole crusty, used up selves into the Lord.
I like the thought that a tree bears fruit in it's season. Meaning there is time for refreshment. Love you.

Rebecca said...

that's beautiful, jamie! i'm going to research this because it is so cool.

i think my feathers are almost off and i'm looking forward to just standing under the waterfall for awhile.

Rebecca said...

i did actually research this and it turns out it's not entirely true. the eagle may file down its beak from time to time but there is no such renewal process.

it's a bummer to find this out because i really loved the story!

and i'm still longing to stand under a God-waterfall....