An eagle was soaring up in the sky. He dived and hovered as he challenged the wind. At peace with himself and with the world
A young boy was testing his catapult. He made a RANDOM aim in the sky and let fly a stone. The stone flew and struck the eagle on its right wing and the wing broke. The nightmare started. Terrible pain notwitstanding, the eagle struggled to make a safe landing.
With a thud he fell in a chicken run. Mr. Cock wanted to see who this intruder was. "Ah-ha it's you," he said. "I always knew you'd land here. Your games are dangerous. Look at us. We don't fly higher than we need to. We are always safe. From now on you are in my domain and I will teach you how life ought to be lived."
So he stayed on in the chicken run. Ate chicken food. Slept on the floor at night. Each morning he had to clean himself of chicken droppings on his head since all other chickens slept on trees.
Time flew on. The broken wing was healing. He cried to the Lord. "I belong in the skies," said he, "why did you allow this experience?"
The only answer that came from the Lord was the healing of his wing. When pain lessened, he tried to fly up a stump to avoid chicken droppings at night. "Look now," said the chickens. "He has not learned his lesson. He is up to his mischief again."
Day by day he practiced. Day by day he took a higher stump, until one day he felt strength in his wing. He flew up a tree. In his excitement he hit the healing wing against a branch and fell with a thud.
We told you, the chickens said. Don't do it again. Live like us. The sky is dangerous.
But somewhere in his ear a song kept on ringing: you don't belong here; your place is in the sky. So he started practice again. Slowly but surely his wing healed.
Then one day up a tree, he smelt the storm. A new surge of strength came to his wings. The song grew. With one leap he flew off......
Come back, some chickens said. Mr. Cock said, "Remember I was your friend and helped you to fly again. Don't forget me!"
But in the eagle's ear came only one song, "Isaiah 40:31"