The Trust of an Eaglet

I have been watching an eagle cam this spring. (Decorah web cam in Iowa)

The eggs hatched this week - the little eaglets are adorable , white little fluffy wide eyed chicks.

I love watching the parents come to feed their young. Even the day they hatched they were already fed bits of raw meat to which their little beaks open eagerly.

I am so amazed at the gentle carefulness of the parent eagle. Their clawed feet look huge beside the fragile chicks. How easily one misstep or one snap of the terror-hooked beak would snuff out the life of the tiny chick.

As I observed the incongruence of beast of prey and helpless bit of down-covered life, I was struck with the baby birds' display of unquestioning trust.

There is no alternative for the chicks but to trust their parent eagles. They are totally and completely at the adult birds' mercy. Their safety, their food, their protection , their very existence depends on a creature whose majestic power and strength belies tenderness.

Their whole world is encompassed by the nest in which they hatched. There is no where else for them to go - escape the nest and death awaits.

But fear is not familiar to the little bird. Complete trust beats in its little breast - no sense of terror when the huge parent bird swoops into the nest. Only a response of a welcome chirp and an open beak for the expectant supply of food. Then a snuggle under the breast of the parent bird that settles carefully over her young to provide needed warmth and safety.

I watched and was struck with the parallel of eaglet chick and me.

I too have a Father who built a nest in which He gave me life.

My nest is the physical world. I cannot escape -- only death lies outside my nest.

My Father hovers over my nest - His wings span the whole of it. His eyes are ever upon it - He is never far away.

Yet, I am not as trusting as the eaglet chick.

I worry about my needs being met.

I sometimes fear my Father has perhaps forgotten me.

I am anxious about the dangers around me.

Do I struggle to believe that my God is BIG enough to 'cover' the nest He built? that He knows my need? that He is ever vigilant over every detail of my life?

Job seemed to share this kind of thinking ... He said, "I shall die in my nest ..." (Job 29:18) while Ruth had more the attitude of the little eaglet, safe under the refuge of the Lord God's wings. (Ruth 2:12)

David, the Shepherd King who spent countless nights in his 'nest' under open skies understood well Who watched over him.

" Hide me under the shadow of Your wings... Ps. 17:8 "I will trust in the shelter of Your wings" Ps. 61:4 "How precious is Your loving kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings." Ps. 36:7, "Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice!" Ph. 63:7

How beautiful and comforting are the following words...

"He shall cover you with His feathers,

and under His wings you shall take refuge, ...

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,

Nor of the arrow that flies by day ...

No evil shall befall you..."

and you shall hear the voice of the Lord whisper softly to you ...

"Because you have set your love upon Me, I will deliver you..

I will set you on high because you have known My name,

You shall call upon Me and I will answer you,

I will be with you in trouble,

I will deliver you and honour you ,

With long life I will satisfy you, and show you My salvation!"

(adapted from Ps. 91)

"O, Lord Father, may I quiet my heart before you and know that you have shown me in a little bird what trust looks like and how futile and silly it is of me to ever doubt your care!"