Eagle’s Wings

Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars and spreads his wings toward the south? Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high? On the rock he dwells and makes his home, on the rocky crag and stronghold. From there he spies out the prey; his eyes behold it from far away. His young ones suck up blood, and where the slain are, there is he.
Job 39:26–30
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Eagle’s Wings
The animal kingdom is a fascinating gift from God. The various creatures which roam the lands, swim beneath the waves, and soar amongst the clouds are awe-inspiring.  And though we know a lot about the various creatures we don’t know everything. And this is God’s point to Job. He claims to be wise, and by all accounts, he is wise amongst men. But Job lacks the wisdom to see that God has not abandoned him or turned away from him. God asks Job again if he knows the ways of the animals and if he can control them. Does Job make the hawk soar and the eagle fly? The answer is no. We do not steer God’s creation. We are unable to provide anything to anyone without the help of God who has first given to us. And in these moments, we come face to face with the realization that we are not God. For we are reminded that God not only created the world and all that is in it, but He continues to take care of it even today. And as we are the jewel in the crown of God’s creation, we have special access to God. He has come down to us so that we might have access to Him. His Son Jesus secured our relationship with the Father by dying on the cross, so that we can now come to Him knowing He will hear us and answer our prayers. Our sins are washed away in the waters of holy Baptism and we are His children. Therefore, we wait for the Lord’s blessings even in our times of suffering. For we know that “they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).