I believe we have something in common with the eagle. As eagles age, the eagles beak and talons become encrusted with calcium. This calcium causes them to not be as sharp as they once were and, therefore, the eagle can no longer hunt as effectively as it once could. He loses his feathers, as well. As a result of losing his feathers, it causes the body of the eagle to whistle as it dives toward its pray. The eagle is entering into a new stage of life, called, “Living amongst the rocks.” The majestic eagle, once full of life and vigor, transitions from soaring amongst great heights, to literally living amongst the rocks. While living amongst the rocks, the eagle will pluck out his own feathers, break his calcium encrusted beak off upon a rock, and even scratch his talons against the rocks until they are literally nubs. Once those who soared so high in all of their pride, they have been brought down to their vulnerabilities. It reminds me of the words of the prophet Obadiah, in Obadiah 1:3, “Though you ascend as high as the eagle, and though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down,” says the LORD.” In the life of an eagle, to live “amongst the rocks” is the most dangerous stage of their life. They become vulnerable and defenseless. They cannot escape predators, nor can they provide for themselves food. As a result, many of them die. Yet, …

As a new father, I have become intimately familiar with an obvious truth not previously conceived that children can become very easily upset at trivial matters. My son has chosen his contentment to be during the day and his cries of distress to be in the middle of the night. The slightest change in schedule or atmosphere can cause a child to increasingly become upset. Often, children are blinded by their immaturity and self-sighted attitude which causes them to fret over trivial matters with little consequence. When your child is upset, what do you do? Do you tower over them with your 6’2 frame? Of course not. Even if we find ourselves in the middle of the night, we go to our child, kneel, or sit down, to adequately comfort them in their distress. In life, I have found that the greatest comfort we can provide is to sit down and listen to others. In times of need, we all want to be heard. Our Heavenly Father sits down and listens, as well.    The Psalmist wrote, in Psalm 116:2, “Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.”  The word incline, in the Hebrew, literally means, “to bow down”, (Strong’s Concordance). Isn’t the thought amazing? Our Almighty God bends down to comfort us through our distress. This word reinforces what I know to be true about my Father. He is concerned with what concerns me, though my problems may …