The past several weeks have been both a busy and exciting time for our youngest daughter, but also one that has taught my husband and I to lean on God and know that he is holding her in his hands. She finished her internship, another blessing from God, gave all her possessions to her Dad and jumped on a plane to travel across Europe for two weeks. What does this means for me? Lots of prayer. Giving her to God, giving all my worries to God, and praying for his protection and guidance for her. Scripture has become a comfort as I read with purpose to diminish my anxiety and worry, and look for God’s Grace.
By choosing to turn to scripture, I receive great comfort and God’s grace is easily found in his word. My husband and I have told our daughter over and over go and do what you want now before your life fills up with responsibilities that will make it harder, so it should not be unexpected that she is doing just as she was told! These different choices that she is making in her life leads me back to God for comfort. I want her to live the words of Jeremiah 29: 11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” and as she now is striving to live these words from scripture, I pray she waits always on the Lord. Isaiah 40:31 is a reminder of God’ timing and that we should follow his will, ” But 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.” I long to see her mount up with wings like an eagle and soar.
When searching for scriptures on protection, I found so many that compares the Lord to a mother eagle. As I read these, I identify with my over protective self just as God can be over protective of me, yet he allows me to make mistakes, make choices, and celebrates in my successes. I have to be like the mother eagle who is protective but wants her babies to fly. She is willing to allow her babies to take risk so they will spread their wings and soar. The mother eagle’s pride comes from their soaring away from her not clinging to her.
What does scriptures say about protection compared to an eagle? Here are a few of my favorite from Psalms that I have been cherishing over the last week.
- “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.” Psalm 36:7
- “Let me dwell in Your tent forever; Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah.” Psalm 61:4
- “He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” Psalm 91:4
Although, they don’t refer directly to an eagle, I picture a great eagle. When wings are spread for me to take shelter or protection under I see an eagle wing. An eagle is a majestic bird and my simple brain can only draw that comparison. In reality, I know that God’s protection and wings are nothing that I can truly comprehend or know until I am in his presence in heaven one day, but until then I will visualize the mother eagle spreading her wings over her eaglets.
As I must now remove my wings and let her fall under God’s wings, I realize that he is now in control of her path. I must heed 1Peter 5:7, “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” Scripture tells me to give my worries to God and he will care for me. As I receive strength from scripture, I am reminded that he cares for her and will direct her path. The Lord assures me in Psalm 25: 4-5, “Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day.” that if she knows him and his ways he will direct her towards salvation. So my prayer for her is found in Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” I pray God’s word will light her path and he will keep her in the shadow of his wings just as Psalm 17:8 reads, “Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings.”
As I pray for her journey across Europe, I find myself praying for her path in life and that God will direct her and she will seek his word and guidance as she grows and prepares for her future.
Closing Verse: “For You are my rock and my fortress; For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.” Psalm 31:3
Challenge Verse: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Psalm 22:6. Know that if you have planted the seed of the Lord in your children that God will cultivate those seeds one day.
Please Share…
Allie's Way 