by Stan Mitchell

"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" (Isaiah 40:31).

Have you ever tried to corner a chicken? Paving stones are more aerodynamic than chickens! Somehow this most inelegant of birds senses that flight is a matter of greatest urgency, and in a flurry of claws and feathers she does her best to avoid a destiny with an iron skillet and a bottle of Crisco.

Would this be poultry in motion?

Have you ever tried to corner an eagle? Ten-foot chicken wiring tends to be inadequate confinement. And in the broad, blue sky, a thousand feet above the earth, there aren't many corners, anyway.

That would be a receding raptor.

When we attempt to rise above life's difficulties on our own, our efforts are usually about as exalted and dignified as a harassed hen. And the temptation usually catches us, red feet clasped in hand, hanging upside down and ready for the fryer!

So why do we try vainly to live life without the help of God? Don't we want to soar on wings like eagles? Don't we want to rise above the dust and grit of the hen house? Why do Christians try to get along without the benefit of Bible Study and worship time? Why do we fail to seek consolation in prayer?

Rest on the wings of the Lord. Pray for his strength. Be in his presence for worship. Serve his people.

"You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagle's wings and brought you to myself" (Exodus 19:4).

Are you a fryer or a flier?

by Barry Newton

"You just do not understand me," lamented the young wife. Her feelings of alienation and frustration felt as though she was on a lonely raft in the midst of the sea.

Her husband was confident he knew exactly what was going on and what she needed. He had the answers if only she would be quiet long enough to listen to him. All this talk just irritated him more each moment. The drumbeat in his brain kept resonating, "Let's just cut to the chase and get on with solving this!"

The more he insisted he understood and tried to move them toward resolution, the more arrogant and distant he seemed to her. She so desperately wanted him to understand her. As far as she was concerned, he did not have a clue.

Communication can be difficult, especially if someone has difficulty expressing feelings, misinterprets another's motives, seeks sympathy or validation without indicating this is desired, or is not willing to divulge deep agendas. While people can have difficulty understanding one another, there is One who truly does understand each one of us.

Jesus left his glory and place with the Father to become flesh and blood, just like us. He was tempted in every way just as we are./1 Jesus knows the types of struggles you feel and go through./2 He knows the difficulty of facing hard decisions, where your heart desires to take one path but you know you should do something different. Jesus even knows rejection, loneliness, suffering, and ridicule to a degree that many of us will never experience.

Combine Jesus' ability to sympathize with our weaknesses along with God's complete understanding of our thoughts and motives/3 and that creates a powerful source of help. Our Lord might not always approve of our desires or choices, but he does understand what we are going through. He does sympathize. He does long to help. There is grace and mercy extended to us if we will approach the throne of grace./4

In view of the wonderful resource we have in our Lord, how much time have you spent in prayer lately talking to God? How much are you relying upon your High Priest to help you and strengthen you? Jesus understands.   1/ Hebrews 4:15; Mark 1:13 2/ Hebrews 2:17,18; 4:15 3/ Hebrews 4:13 4/ Hebrews 4:16