Wednesday, May 7, 2008

to soar

The Albatross is an amazing bird.  It can have a wingspan of up to 12 feet, while weighing about 20 pounds.  It will routinely travel thousands of miles to find food for its young. They have been tracked flying from nests in Hawaii to the San Francisco Area, up to Alaska, and back to their nest.  They actually favor the Antarctic region because of the high winds, unblocked by land masses, that allow them to fly.  Typically, an albatross can fly over 1,000 miles in a day, at speeds of about 100 m.p.h!  Once they find prey, they store it in a special kind of stomach until they can return and regurgitate the food to feed their young.  One of the most fascinating characteristics of the albatross is its inability to fly unless the wind is blowing 15 to 20 m.p.h.  Their wings are so long and slender and their bodies so heavy that they are unable to lift off due to flapping alone.  The wind must carry them and, once they are aloft, they are masters of the wind.  They are able to lock their wings, like the fixed wings of an airplane and so they can soar for those long distances.

We, too, cannot fly on our own energy.  No matter how hard we flap our wings we just can't "lift off" without the Holy Spirit wind blowing through us.  But we, too, can travel long distances and see great sights as we enjoy the Lord's wind moving in and through us.  We, too, were intended to soar!

Exodus 19: 4 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself.'

blessings,
Rob Smith

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