FRESH AIR: SOARING WITH THE EAGLES

This month, we at ChristianWriters.com are blogging on the theme of "fresh air." (See the links to the right.) I love this theme so much that I will post a different blog about "fresh air" every Wednesday this month.

============================================

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 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 40:28-31 NIV)

I loved Peter Jackson’s fabulous film recreation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic trilogy, Lord of the Rings. In The Fellowship of the Rings, we first meet the giant eagles. Gandalf the Gray has gone to his mentor, Saruman to coordinate their effort to fight evil. But Saruman has “turned to the dark side” and places Gandalf atop the tower, with no possible escape.



Or so we think. Gandalf summons the eagles and in a dramatic scene, he leaps from atop the tower. His mane of tangled hair flies across his face as he falls, until he is caught by a giant eagle. As the camera angle changes, we see Gandalf facing directly into the fierce storm as he soars effortlessly into freedom on the wings of the eagle.

We see the giant eagles again in The Return of the King. Frodo and Samwise have destroyed the Ring of Power only to find themselves stranded on a rock surrounded by molten lava. Frodo can no longer even imagine the taste of strawberries, so worn out are our two heroes. But as they begin to lose consciousness, Gandalf arrives with three eagles who whisk Frodo and Samwise to safety.

Tolkien wrote the epic to tell a specifically Christian message: at the end of time, God will triumph over evil. In our non-epic lives, we too have battles; some large; some small; some internal and some with the world. We may have no escape from our prison and no place to go if we could, but like Gandalf, we too can take a leap of faith. We can fall safely into the arms of Jesus. If, like Frodo and Samwise, we are surrounded by fires in life, God can lift us out and show us how to soar.

When I read Isaiah, I picture these scenes from Lord of the Rings. When I am weak and weary, with no strength of my own; when I have come to the end of a journey and cannot take one step further; when I can no longer even recall the taste of strawberries, God is still there. He can carry me. He will help me soar, as I trust in His strength and power.

In fact, every single moment of every single day as I focus on God, I can be revived by the fresh air that surrounds me as I soar with Him. The fresh air of God breathing new life into us.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for symbolism in great literature that helps us glimpse your character, your power and your glory. Remind us that when we feel like we are imprisoned in a stale, lifeless jail, you are there, ready to set us free. Help us to soar with you. Renew our strength for whatever you have planned for us to accomplish in your name. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? How does Isaiah speak to you? What image does it call up to you? What symbolism in Lord of the Rings spoke most to you?





Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 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 40:28-31 NIV)