October 20, 2022
Many have come through a season(s) of tearing down, rooting up, and exposure before the Lord. Our natural inclination, says, “It’s time to rebuild. Instead of rebuilding, Heis building. Rebuilding is returning to, going back and constructing again what was. He is not interested in the edifices of yesterday. He is providing strategies, vision, and provision for those who are aligned with His desires for today.
Consider the three images in the picture. This is from a “field trip” of sorts, orchestrated for me, by the Father. As I watched a video, He began pointing out things that mirrored what He is doing among many in the Body right now. These images from an eagle cam in Florida, a taping of eagles as they build a new nest. I was not able to squeeze all five photos I wanted into the frame, so I will mention those missing in the first and last bullet points below.
- “Pre-photo (missing): the eagle first flew from his nest to a branch of a nearby tree. From this vantage point, he surveyed the area he was considering for nest material. Then he swooped down from the branch, and landed, again taking note of his surroundings. He did not immediately begin picking up sticks and branches.
The eagle walked around, picking one up here and there, examining them, and discarding some. He found a doozy of a branch, loaded with smaller branches, bursting with leaves. I was rooting for him! He pulled it this way and that, turned it, dragged it, adjusting as he tried to lift it, balancing the weight… without success. Considering an adult eagle’s wing spread, the branch was maybe 4+ feet long. He finally gave up, returning to his search for the perfect nest material.
- Image one: as already mentioned, the eagle was meticulous in his choosing, and then what even seemed “perfect” had to be relinquished because it was more than he could carry. He needed to build in smaller increments, stage by stage.
Sometimes, when we see the big picture, the goal line, we want to press ‘fast forward’. Rarely does God operate in this manner. He highly values the pathway of process. This is where we learn, increase, and enter the creative abilities of God. This is where we are rooted in total dependence and complete trust. We increasingly realize, “I cannot… but He can, and will.” During process, we experience His faithfulness.
Surprisingly, instead of picking up the branch with his claws (like when catching a fish), he picked it up with his beak and then launched into flight. One way we carry the things of the Spirit is with our mouth: prophetic words aligned with the heart of God, empowered by Holy Spirit, and released in prayer back to Him, in praise, with declarations, giving angels assignments.
- Second image: the eagle performed the daunting task of transferring the branch to his claws without dropping it. Skilled, and well-practiced, yet not an easy feat. Oh, me of little faith. I held my breath, hoping he would not drop it while wondering if I was an eagle, would I successfully perform such a task?
Just like the eagle, can we be successful as we transfer what we cultivate in prayer and release with our words, to our feet, i.e., walking in and doing what He has asked of us? The “can we” is an absolute, “Yes!” …if done according to the strategies and steps He releases to us… not those of our own making.
Yet there is an additional question: will I posture myself, fully dependent on Him, not relying on my schemes? The “can” is settled, He can and He will. The ‘will’ is a daily, moment-by-moment choice of our making to walk humbly surrendered, following His lead. He can… will we?
- Image three: here the eagle is focused, and headed toward its destination. Focus during flight is so important. It is not a time for distraction. Carrying strategies, and provision, the eagle flew directly to the tree/territory/place for the building of the nest. This is not rebuilding, for the old cannot be reconstructed. Flight after flight, branch after branch, stage by stage… this is the building of the new. It is formed and comes to be, adjusting in shape and size as new branches and sticks are brought.
Just as we do what Holy Spirit directs, and we have a sense of what it will look like, yet what God is building through us is a living thing. It will continue to grow. It will change, becoming, adjusting according to the purposes, plans, and needs of the season. It is not meant to be static. We are to remain flexible, so that we bend with the movement of the wind, and not break.
- A fourth photo (missing) would not have done justice to what I watched in the videos. Understand, this is the building of a nest to be occupied by a male and female eagle. God will bring us together with others so that our gifts can blend and harmonize, creating something much greater than we could do alone.
These eagles did not always agree on the building of the nest. Sometimes they squabbled. At times one would place a stick and their mate didn’t like it, moving it elsewhere. In one nest, I watched an eagle trying to change something around, and the other one squawked, picked it up, replacing it. They had “words”, the first eagle moving to the other side of the nest, giving its mate leeway.
It will be exciting to build, yet we need to remember to honor (doesn’t mean we will always see eye to eye) each other, walking in love. While iron sharpens iron, which is necessary, the respect of who He is and how He speaks to and through another needs to be recognized. We need each other. The adversary will seek to devour through division and strife.
This “field trip” with Him, gave me a bird’s eye view (no pun intended) of not just the eagle, but myself, and what many are experiencing within the Body. I appreciate the way He uses His creation, sliding in hidden insights, and depositing wisdom which surprise and delight. He is good. We will never go back. We have crossed over. He is building… it is fresh; it is new.
Reigning With Him. 