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| September 2007 |
| Billie Silvey |
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| Flight in Scripture |
| Scripture doesn't talk much about our flying, but rather about God’s flying us. The first reference is in Exodus 19:4, where God says, “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself” (Exodus 19:4). God is the one who carries us in flight. He provides the direction and the power. We just go along for the ride. In the book of Ruth, Boaz recounts the kindness of the foreigner Ruth to her mother-in-law Naomi and says, “May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge” (Ruth 2:12). Ruth was vulnerable--widowed, penniless, reduced to picking up the grain left by the harvesters to feed herself and Naomi. And yet she had protection. She had taken refuge under the mighty wings of God, and he wouldn't fail her. She had also taken refuge under the wings of a man of God, Boaz himself. With him, she becomes a link in the chain of the ancestry of the mighty King David, and through him, of Jesus Christ himself! In God’s wonderful economy, the weak become strong, the poor become rich, the hungry are fed, and the mourning laugh (see Luke 6:20-21). The Psalmist, as well, uses the image of God’s wings for protection, this time from enemies. Palm 91 is a paean to God’s strength and care: He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling— even the Lord, who is my refuge- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." Only once does Scripture attribute flight to human beings. The prophet Isaiah talks about how high God is over us, how much stronger he is than we are. His might, strength and intelligence never fail, though we become weary, weaken, stumble and fall. “But those who hope in the Lord,” Isaiah says, “will renew their stength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31). When I was younger, I had tremendous energy. I could work hard all day and never feel it. I had great reserves of enthusiasm and could go for hours on adrenaline. Now, as I grow older, I have less energy, my reserves deplete more quickly, and that adrenaline rush seems a just vague memory. As a result, I appreciate the words of scripture about flight in a way I never could have before. As my strength fails, God carries me. He gives direction and power. All I need to do is love him, trust him and call on his name. He is my refuge. He brings people into my life who guard and protect as well. As I become weak, I am strong in him. He guards me from those who would hurt me. He covers me with his love I'm not afraid of harm or disaster. His angels guard me and satisfy my needs. |