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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Happy (07/12/07)
"Fly Like An Eagle"

In light of scripture and by analogy, I want to take a closer look at how we can be genuinely "happy".

Definition: Enjoying, showing, or marked by pleasure, satisfaction, or joy; Being especially well-adapted; Cheerful; willing

To begin with lets look at the habitation of chickens (yes, I know it sounds a little corny and seems to have absolutely nothing to do with being "happy,") but bear with me, we can learn a lot from our feathered friends.
So lets take a look, shall we?
First of all, they have no freedom of movement at all, they are penned up, going nowhere, no change of scenery, they do the same old things, in the same old place everyday, sound familiar?

They look up and see all these other birds of the air that are free, and probably think to themselves; "I wish I could be like that". They peck around the chicken pen, looking for grubs, worms or something to fill their empty spot, yet never seem to be filled, happy nor content.
Out of nowhere, a storm hits, and what do they do? They want to hide, so they struggle to get off the ground to avoid the storm, flapping their wings as hard as they can, to no avail, they just can't get very far off the ground. They wear themselves out. Much like many of us isn't it? It seems the harder we flap our wings, the more weary we become. The storm seems to ground us!

Now, lets look at the Eagle! An eagle can/will fly higher than any other bird. As a matter of fact, when an enemy is in pursuit of him, the eagle keeps flying higher and higher, with his enemy right behind, until he has flown at such a high altitude, it suffocates his enemy. Isn't that something? The eagle spots its enemy from a long way off, they have very keen eyesight. It welcomes adversity. As storms roll in, the eagle, just waits on just the right time, just the right current of wind, and mounts up and allows the wind to carry him far above that storm. Unlike the chickens, eagles do not struggle and strive, they know they are eagles, and rest in that fact. They do not try to get somewhere they already are, they are happy and content! They use adversity/storms to go higher.


Isaiah 40:29-31
He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might
He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be
weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who
wait on 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.



Deu 32:11-14
As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange God with him. He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.

We are the children of the most high God! We too should be like the "eagle." We do not need to strive and struggle to be all God has made us to be. We don't have to work at being happy, at peace and content. We need only to wait upon him, trusting him, obeying him.
We need to know who we are, allowing ourselves to be lifted high on the wind of the Spirit!
We are partakers of all the riches of God's goodness to us. We are not meant to be chickens, bound up with no movement, no growth, not eating and being filled, afraid of adversity, barely surviving and settling for second best, I lived there for years!

Do you want to be truly happy?
Then, fly high above all adversity, on the wings of His Spirit! Rest and trust in God. Know who you are, in Christ. Judging not by the worlds standards, but by God's.


Yes I am "Happy" for I am in Christ Jesus, which is True Happiness,
Soaring On The Wings Of His Spirit.

© 2007
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Susan Domingeaux
07/19/07
A great inspiration! Full of truth.
David Butler
08/02/07
A good bit of research went into this. I really relate to the "message of the eagle" and that was the basis for one of my past challenge articles, although mine was more in narrative form. You have given me a few ideas to make an expanded version. Thank you.
Observation, research and an ability to interpret the facts you gather can be powerful tools for a writer. Well presented too. Maybe there's other creative ways of presenting all this valuable information, though this was good.