Eagles can swim!! There are lots of little-known facts about eagles, but that has to be the one that caught me off guard the most. For those familiar with the sport of swimming, eagles propel themselves through the water using both wings simultaneously paddling, looking like they are swimming the butterfly.* Eagles are not the fastest, highest-flying birds, but they are the total package. They are at the top of the bracket in practically every category and they have no natural predators. They can fly up to 15,000 feet high and up to 100 miles per hour! Their vision is 8 times keener than humans.
Apparently, eagles are also trainable. There is reportedly a Dutch firm that trains eagles to assist in drone control, teaches them to take illegal drones out of the air, as well as to help safely land important drones in distress.
The eagle was heralded by many powerful empires and has long been regarded as a symbol of courage, strength, and even immortality by some. The Native American Indians used the eagle as an icon for generational stories of heroes, symbols of power and authority, and rite of passage rituals.
The most pertinent fact to Americans is that the Bald Eagle isn’t actually bald, but is named from the old English word “balde” which means “white”. The Bald Eagle was chosen as our national symbol in 1782 by the Second Continental Congress and was chosen because it is the only eagle solely indigenous to North America. The species is massively protected by law and nature organizations. If you find and keep a Bald or Golden Eagle feather, you can be held liable for a fine of up to $10,000, even if you don’t know it is against the law! **
When you actually catch a glimpse of this magnificent creature, you feel you have encountered majesty. Whether flying regally, perched proudly, or impressively overpowering prey, bald eagles have an heir of nobility that is palpable. Isaiah the prophet pens the words “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) Given the little bit of knowledge and awe that I have for the eagle, this is a HUGE encouragement to me! My relationship with the Lord will propel me to things that I am incapable of on my own! I have always said that if I could pick a superpower, it would be the ability to fly. To soar above the fray. To look at the world and its issues from 15,000 feet makes everything on Earth seem so much more manageable, so much less profoundly impactful. That is not to say there aren’t things that are not vital, but they seem less draining and overwhelming from up above. I think this is what God is getting at when we defer to Him on the things on earth that bog us down. Hand it off to Him so that we can gain His eternal perspective. He will give us the strength and courage that we need to walk through each thing as well as the ability to disregard what tries to make us its prey.
To expound on the phrase “they that wait on the Lord” – this is to not only trust the Lord in today’s circumstances but also in their future implications and ramifications.
The majestic eagle has its issues: finding their lifelong mate, procuring food for itself and its family, and protecting and training its young. It even has aging issues: as an eagle ages, its beak bends, making it more difficult to actually eat food. However, the eagle never looks worried. It has a calm confident demeanor that suggests it knows how all things play out. While the eagle may not actually know, its Creator does. Perhaps the eagle knows the secret of “waiting on the Lord”. Taking a lesson from the eagle and leaning into the Lord may just be the trick we need to “mount up with wings like eagles”!
*An eagle swimming! Eagle Swimming Video
**Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940
