A large eagle was called by the Lord to pick up a huge chunk of meat that sat upon a rock. The meat was to be delivered to a faraway place. A bitter winter was on it’s way, and the meat was for the people who lived in this faraway place, and would die of starvation without this meat.
After hearing the detailed instructions of the Lord, the eagle glanced at the size of the meat and the weight of it, said nothing to the Lord, and picked up the meat and flew away.
The Lord was Watching.
The eagle thought that none could see him, so he took the meat to the nearest high place and said gleefully to himself, ” This meat could never suffice all the people in that faraway place. The winter to come will be harsh and cruel. This meat can sustain me through such a winter”. So the eagle did not fly to the faraway place but remained on that high place, hugging the meat with his wings.
The Lord called a second eagle, Showed him a chunk of meat and gave him the same instructions.
The second eagle took the meat and flew with it, towards a nearby place, where his friends and family resided.
The Lord was Watching.
As the second eagle flew off in the other direction, he thought to himself, ” Why should I concern myself with the people in the faraway place, surely the winter will be just as harsh for us all, and charity begins at home”, thought the eagle. ” This winter my family, friends and myself………..ah! we sure will be well fed!”
Now a third eagle had been since long, waiting before the Lord. He was unaware of the other two eagles.
A while back, he had come before the Lord, and bowed his head and covered it with his wings, and muttered a prayer.
“What are you praying for?” The Lord Asked.
” Lord use me, please send me somewhere………….anywhere You Please.”
To which the Lord Had Replied, ” Wait.”
So the third eagle waited.
Whilst the third eagle had been waiting, the Lord had called the other two eagles, but the third eagle was unaware of that.
Now the Lord turned to the third eagle and explained to him the same work he had Given the other two eagles.
This meat the third eagle was to carry was ginormous. It was many-fold larger than the meat the previous two eagles had been asked to carry.
One look at the size of the meat, and the enormity of the responsibility that went with it, the third eagle began to tremble. How could he, such a small, such a little eagle, as he saw himself, fly to such a faraway place with such a ginormous chunk of meat to a people whom God so loved, who were depending and trusting God to deliver to them? What if he messed up? What if he did not get there on time? What if the people starved because of his negligence? What if he was incapable of carrying such a weight? What if he let God down? Did the Lord not Know how weak and little this eagle was? How frail and inexperienced? What if……….what if………..?”
The third eagle hastily bowed his head and quickly wrapped it with his wings and muttered a prayer.
The Lord Asked him, ” What are you praying for now?”
” Lord, please send someone else…………what if I mess up and bring reproach to Your Name?”
The Lord Replied not.
The third eagle looked again at the meat, and thought of all those who lived in the faraway land.
No, he would not fear, if the Lord was Sending him, the Lord would equip him to do the work well.
So with great care, lest he soil the meat, the third eagle picked up the ginormous chunk and flew off to the faraway place.
The Lord Was Watching.
The third eagle reached the faraway place just as the winter was setting in. People were waiting for the meat and were delighted to see the eagle carrying it.
The third eagle abode with the people and the other eagles who had gathered there, and through each bitter winter day, along with the others, ate from the meat that the Lord Had Sent. The meat remained fresh and no matter how much any of them ate, there was always plenty.
Now the Lord Had Explained to all three eagles that the meat was not only to be delivered to the destination but furthermore, it was to be kept in a certain place. All the hungry were to come to that place to eat. The meat could not be eaten from any other place, except that which the Lord Had determined. The Lord Had Said, that the eagles would receive their portion of meat after they had done exactly as He had Instructed.
The first eagle had disobeyed. When the winter came, the meat froze in the high place and so hardened, that the eagle could not eat from it.
This eagle broke his beak in attempting to get a bite of the meat.
The second eagle had flown to his family and friends, but when he arrived there, he saw that all had vanished.
Whilst the second eagle was on his way, the Lord Had Told all the eagles to make their way to the faraway place, where there would be food awaiting them.
The second eagle was horrified to find the place which was once his home, empty and desolate.
The winter set in, the meat froze and hardened.
This second eagle too, broke his beak in attempting to get a bite of the meat.
Both these eagles broke down and wept. They understood that they had been selfish and disobedient. The winter was worsening. Weak and frail, they lay down where they were, and prayed and awaited for the Mercy of God to get them out of there.
The third eagle was busy feasting on the meat, when he heard the Lord Say, ” Take some meat and go now and fetch your brothers who are stuck in such and such a place”.
The Third eagle immediately took a chunk of meat from the vast amount that was there, in the certain place, and flew to where each of the two eagles were located.
The third eagle gave each of them the meat and encouraged them to eat it, and after they were strengthened, to fly with him, to the faraway place.
At first, each eagle hesitated. How could they eat the meat with their broken beaks? Nonetheless, they both understood that the Lord in His Mercy Had Sent the third eagle, so perhaps in His Mercy, He Would also mend their broken beaks. With this thought in their hearts, they lowered their broken beaks to eat the meat, and as they did so, their beaks were mended and each rejoiced!
After each had eaten heartily, they flew alongside the third eagle, who had after delivering the meat, been flying above, awaiting them, to go to the faraway place.
They now understood that though the winter may be bitter, the Provision of the Lord for them all was sweet.
No comments:
Post a Comment