On Eagles Wings

Today this picture showed up on my Facebook feed. 

It shows a Red Winged Blackbird being carried on the back of an eagle. It reminded me of a verse I discovered few years back. 

Exodus 19:4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 

When I read it I imagined being carried on the back of an eagle high above the storms of life, in peace and safety snuggling into its feathers. 

Obviously the analogy is that God is the eagle and He carries us safely through, over and around our storms. 

Sadly I haven't always taken advantage of His loving offer and as a result I've been battered around by the proverbial winds of strife. But thankfully I learn, even from hard things, and I've learned that nestling into the Lord is the safest and most beautiful thing I can do in any situation. When I do my peace is assured and the best outcome for any situation is guaranteed, every time. 

My prayer is that I never forget this lesson, and I never leave the safety of His feathers.  

He Knew

Have you ever stopped to consider that during His life here on earth Jesus knew all the things that were going to happen to him?

There is ample evidence in the gospels that by the time Jesus began His ministry He knew that He was going to be killed, murdered, by the very people that He came to save. He knew that most people would reject and mock Him. He knew that those who didn't reject Him would still rebel and sin and then come back in repentance, and that they (we) would do it repeatedly. He knew that His disciples would run away and desert Him, that Peter would deny Him, and that Judas would betray Him. He knew that by taking on the mission to save the earth He was taking on a life of emotional pain.

What is amazing is that even knowing all this, He still chose to come and die for us. He chose to go through all of the suffering He endured on this world. He chose to stay on the cross. He could have easily come down off the cross and gone back to Heaven, it was only His choice that kept Him up there.

The thing that to me is even more amazing is that even though He knew all these things He didn't treat people any differently than He would have if He hadn't known. He still loved the people, He still healed them, He still multiplied the bread and fish to feed them, He still loved Peter and said He would pray for Him, He still called Judas friend. And if Judas had of repented Jesus would have accepted him back with joy.

Jesus didn't act with suspicion and separate himself from the people who He knew were going to hurt Him. He allowed Himself to be vulnerable and accepted the pain that would result. He didn't allow His knowledge to cause Him to love them less. This is amazing glorious love.

Why???

Why did He do this? Or maybe a better question is, How? How did He do this?

Here are two answers;

1. Hebrews 12:2 

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

He did it because He knew that when it was over He would have great joy as a result. He would get to spend eternity with those who accepted His sacrifice. 

It is the same for us, by focusing on the promise of joy rather than the present pain we can endure anything. 

2. Philippians 4:4-8

4Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

He was able to do it because He controlled His thoughts. He rejoiced in God, He refused to worry but instead gave His problems and concerns to His Father, then He lived in the peace God gave Him while focusing His thoughts on things that were; true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy. 

Amazing love, from an amazing God and Saviour.

Answered Prayer

Last week I strained my lower back. No idea how I did it, but I do know for sure that the 37km bike ride last Sunday didn't help it get better. (Don't care though, was lots of fun and I'll totally do it again.)

Any way, this weekend I went to visit a friend in another city. Had a great time and didn't get to the train station to get my ticket home till 6:30pm Sunday night. 

So I'm looking around the packed train station and it dawns on my that I'm unlikely to get a seat on a intercity train going home, that the best I can hope for is a 'standing seat.' That means I pay a bunch of money for the privilege of standing in the aisle as the train speeds back to Seoul. 

I say a quick prayer, "God I really need a seat, my back isn't gong to handle the hour of standing on the rocking train." Then it's my turn to advance to the ticket counter. 

The man turns his computer to show me that in the whole evening there are only 4 standing seats and no real seats available. Plus these standing seats don't leave the station until well after 9pm. I have to agree to buy one, must go home and work tomorrow after all. But then as he's about to enter the data the screen flickers and up pops a real seat an hour earlier. He grabs it quick, I pay and leave clutching my seat ticket with a lot of thanks and gratitude to God for answering my prayer. 

He cares about the little things like seats and sore backs. We can trust Him for  the big things too. 

PS The picture is from the Internet, not my train.