Several weeks ago, I heard “Wait on You” by Dante Bowe and Maverick City Worship/Elevation Worship. I was immediately moved to tears within the first verse.
“I don’t believe in fairy tales
I guess I’ve outgrown them
But that doesn’t mean I don’t believe that there’s something bigger than me
Cause I’ve seen it in a hospital room
When the doctors said,
“Sorry there’s nothing more we can do”
Well it wasn’t through”
We have literally sat in a hospital room and heard those exact words spoken over our son and if you know our story, God wasn’t through. The entire song is fire but there is a portion in the song where he sings Isaiah 40:31. Growing up this was my elementary and junior high school Scripture so I know it by heart.
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
As I heard this, I found myself singing along even though I had never heard that song but then Dante says “that’s what happens when you wait” and then repeats the Scripture and follows it with “that’s what happens when you wait”. I was stopped dead in my tracks. I hadn’t put the two together.
I have been waiting on God for some things. Some major things. I’ve grown weary. I’ve been frustrated and wrestled with the thought of being seen. I can say that in those moments I keep coming back to this song and that reminder of what God does for us in the wait. I’m also reminded of how I felt in that hospital room. That even in that dark place I didn’t feel alone.
I began to dig into learning about the bald eagle after meditating on this song. Its strength and ability blew me away. For instance, this fact about the wings:
“The wings, spanning over 2.4 m (8 ft) in the female, make excellent use of any updrafts or thermals to ascend effortlessly without wasting energy by flapping. Tail feathers are spread to provide the largest possible surface area, and wide separation of the tapered wingtip feathers helps reduce turbulence and further assists soaring ability. Feather positioning and structure enables drag to be increased or reduced as required. It also keeps the bird warm and waterproof.”
The way they fly, because of their wing span, creates a smoothness in their flight. So if you were “mounted” on wings like eagles…it would be a safe and smooth ride. They can fly for hours at a time. Are you starting to see the reason for the use of the eagle in Scripture and why it’s associated so much for safety, strength and refuge throughout the Bible?
Now let’s look at my week in Jackson Hole with my family. We have been spending family vacation there for 10 years. 9 years in that home. I’ve never seen a bald eagle there. Never. This trip, every morning, 1-2 eagles visited. They perched in the tree and just watched.
In my weariness it is very common for me to ask God to just remind me that He’s there. That He’s listening. That He hears me. I really do believe this was a beautiful picture and reminder of what He’s been speaking to me lately. I don’t believe that God withholds His goodness to teach us things. That doesn’t seem like a loving Father to me. But I do believe He knows the whole story and in His goodness, I see evidence of His mercy through healing and miracles and I have to trust that in the wait, He is there, bringing things to completion. I hold tight to the things I ask of Him because I’ve seen Him do it. To quote another incredible song by Cody Carnes and Brandon Lake “Don’t tell me He can’t do it.” Those two songs have been my anthem the last month or so. Then I see this eagle, and I can’t shake that God is up to something. So I wait. I wait and I hold tight to His promises because I’ve “tasted His goodness. I trust in His promise”.
For me, this eagle was a reminder that He was strengthening me. He was hiding me in the shadow of His wings. I have to believe there is something that must take place in me during the wait. Stopping and trusting and being still is hard for me. Very hard. I’m a person that gets things done. I’ve always been that way so when I have a situation before me that needs to be changed I usually get it changed. And right now, I am at a standstill. I’ve done all the things. I’ve done all that I can do. Now I just wait. I wait for God to be God and let His strength be my refuge. I have to trust that He sees me and He’s not withholding any good thing from me.
So here you go, God. I’m climbing up the wings of eagles and trusting You’ve got this. Feel free to join me.
Noelle Kilgore's Blog 