Wings

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 7
There is one thing this general break up of things ought to lead us to do, and that is to make good use of our wings! The eagle stirs up her nest in order to teach her young ones to fly (Deut. 32:1111As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: (Deuteronomy 32:11)). Daring and presumptuous man has been learning to fly, not in faith and subjection, but in defiance of the divine order of the heavens and the earth. In the beginning the earth was the appointed sphere for man as man. He was told to have dominion and to subdue the earth (Gen. 1:2828And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:28)), not to conquer the air! The air was the appointed sphere for birds, who have wings to fly. The air is also the sphere now of the prince of darkness, a murderer and liar from the beginning! “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:22Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (Ephesians 2:2)). How little men thought, when they began to talk of a man-lifting kite, what it would develop into, and what an engine of murder and destruction it would become in the hands of the enemy. But what could be expected when men presumed to rise out of their own proper sphere into that of another? So likewise, they have invaded the sphere of the fishes with like result! So now, man in the air, And man under the sea, can murder and destroy to his heart's content.
But we, as Christians, should learn to fly. The Lord in His great love has opened up for us a new sphere through His precious death and resurrection. Having through death conquered sin, death and Satan, He rose triumphant over all and led captivity captive! And passing through the heavens—the sphere of Satan and wicked spirits—went up, up, and was made higher than the heavens: our perfect Savior, our holy Priest, Advocate and Leader, who has opened up the way for us! In Him we have died to this lower sphere, in Him we have risen into His sphere, and should be rising the shiny way on the wings of faith, hope, and love (Eph. 4:8-108Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) (Ephesians 4:8‑10); Heb. 4:14; 7:2614Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. (Hebrews 4:14)
26For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (Hebrews 7:26); Col. 3:1-41If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1‑4)). And is He not coming to take us up to His world?
“Then as we upward fly,
That resurrection-word
Shall be our shout of victory,
' Forever with the Lord.'“
But should we not be using our wings now? Yet how prone to be making our nest here! Job thought to die in his nest (Job 29:1818Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand. (Job 29:18)), but what a shaking up poor Job had! But was it not in love for his ultimate good? So it ever is when the Lord stirs up our nest, and shakes all things here. Is it not that we may learn to fly? What a beautiful word that is of David's in Psa. 68:1313Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold. (Psalm 68:13), “Though ye have lien among the pots (a low, degraded, impure condition) yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove (beauty and purity) covered with silver (in the power of redemption) and her feathers with yellow gold” (in the beauty of divine righteousness and glory).
As I am writing, the guns are barking and I am thinking of you all, as I often do, and of the happy times in R—— in the days gone by... Our nest there seems to be, not only disturbed, but broken up; but
Let's spread our wings and soar above
This scene of conflict and of woe;
And rise to His bright world of love,
His own sweet peace and joy to know.
C. J. D.