In urging us to make the trip to the heavenly Jerusalem God promises to bear us up on eagle wings.

Wednesday, 12/11/13

At the end of the seventy year Babylonian captivity, the grandchildren of the original captives were set free to traverse the wilderness back to the Jerusalem from which their grandparents had been led away.

Those grandchildren, who had been born in Babylon had made themselves comfortable there.  They didn’t want to make a ten day walk through wild places to rebuild the ancient city of Jerusalem.

God’s prophet urged them to make the effort, but they did not readily pack for the journey. They were like we are now. We have heard that heaven is better than life on earth, but we are not rushing to make the sacrifices needed for the journey. God’s prophet told them the journey was not impossible. He said God would bear them up on eagle wings. We still use that image to motivate ourselves to hit the road for heaven.

You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord, who abide in his shadow for life, say to the Lord: "My refuge, my rock in whom I trust!"

And he will raise you up on eagle's wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of his hand.

The snare of the fowler will never capture you, and famine will bring you no fear: under his wings your refuge, his faithfulness your shield.