BORN TO SOAR

" 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to Me. Now if you will listen to Me and carefully keep My covenant, you will be My own possession out of all the peoples, although all the earth is Mine," (Exodus 19:4, 5 HCSB)

The baby eagle is born to soar. It is the work of the parent to prepare the little one. It was time for Israel to spread her wings. God’s people—like the eagle are born to soar!

In chapter nineteen of Exodus, we find God calling His children to rise to fulfill their potential. He has some choice lessons to teach them—to get them out of the nest, as it were. He instructs them concerning reward, conveying responsibility and commanding reverence.

Here is a word concerning REWARD--We are a special treasure (v.1-5).

“In the third month, on the same day [of the month] that the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai. After they departed from Rephidim, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain.

Moses went up [the mountain] to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain: ‘This is what you must say to the house of Jacob, and explain to the Israelites: “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to Me. Now if you will listen to Me and carefully keep My covenant, you will be My own possession out of all the peoples, although all the earth is Mine…” (Exodus 19:1-5 HCSB)

God’s reward to His people was His grace. He delivered them from bondage and birthed them into new life. So, He has done for us, in saving us from sin and bringing us into new life in Christ.

God’s reward from His people is our growth. God has the rewarding experience of seeing us learn to fly! All parents know the joy of seeing our children learn new things and watching them grow up. We treasure those moments! So, our Heavenly Father is delighted when we begin to flap our wings—even feebly, at first—for we are growing into the potential for which He has chosen us.

But, these words Moses was to share with the fledgling nation were not just about reward. There is a word conveying RESPONSIBILITY—We have a sacred task (v.6-9).

“and you will be My kingdom of priests and My holy nation.” These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.’

After Moses came back, he summoned the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. Then all the people responded together, ‘We will do all that the Lord has spoken.’ So Moses brought the people's words back to the Lord.

The Lord said to Moses, ‘I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you and will always believe you.’ Then Moses reported the people's words to the Lord.” (Exodus 19:6-9 HCSB)

We teach children responsibility. It is an indispensable lesson. As they develop, they will bear more and more responsibility. This is true in spiritual maturity, as well.

God’s people have a great responsibility to represent God to others. We are His priests. God did not choose Israel to convey a smug self-righteousness as though they were better than the other nations. He set them apart as a holy nation, so that His light would shine as a beacon from them.

When people see us, they need to see the God whom we represent. A newborn eagle looks very little like the majestic bird it will become, but as it matures it begins to look like the eagle that birthed it. So, as we grow up, the Christian is more and more like Christ. Others should see Jesus in us.

God’s people have a grave responsibility to reach others for God. This is what a priest does. He is an advocate—a mediator. Israel was to call the nations to repentance and reconciliation with God. Sadly, they didn’t grow up—always childishly, selfishly squawking for God to care for them, wholly unconcerned about others. If we grow and soar to our potential, we recognize that we have been chosen to be instruments of inclusion. We are God’s special people because we have been given a sacred task—the Great Commission.

So, Israel would soar if they heeded God’s call concerning reward and conveying responsibility. Furthermore, there is a word commanding REVERENCE—We need a sanctifying trust (v.10-25).

“And the Lord told Moses, ‘Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Put boundaries for the people all around the [mountain] and say: Be careful that you don't go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain will be put to death. No hand may touch him; instead he will be stoned or shot [with arrows]. No animal or man will live. When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they may go up the mountain.’

Then Moses came down from the mountain to the people and consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. He said to the people, ‘Be prepared by the third day. Do not have sexual relations with women.’

On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a loud trumpet sound, so that all the people in the camp shuddered. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder.

The Lord came down on Mount Sinai at the top of the mountain. Then the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and he went up. The Lord directed Moses, ‘Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the Lord; otherwise many of them will die. Even the priests who come near the Lord must purify themselves or the Lord will break out [in anger] against them.’

But Moses responded to the Lord, ‘The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, since You warned us: Put a boundary around the mountain and consider it holy.’ And the Lord replied to him, ‘Go down and come back with Aaron. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to the Lord, or He will break out [in anger] against them.’ So Moses went down to the people and told them.” (Exodus 19:10-25 HCSB)

Could you imagine an eaglet attacking a mature eagle? Would you imagine that it would foul its nest? So, Israel was to respect the holiness of God. They were to be clean when they approached Him. It is wonderful that we have such a loving relationship with God, but we must never make this an excuse for a lack of respect. He remains God—and we are not.

I am an adult now. But, God still expects me to honor my father. That is commanded. If we are to show such respect to a fallen human being, what ought we to do concerning our Holy, Heavenly Father?

Perhaps you have heard the Grecian mythical story of Icarus.

Along with his father, Daedalus, the two were imprisoned on Crete. Daedalus devised two pairs of wings that they might escape. The father warned his son, however, to follow his line of flight—to fly neither too high toward the sun, lest the wax which held the feathers in place would melt, nor too low near the sea, lest the moisture dampen the wings and make them too heavy to fly.

He didn’t listen to his father. The thrill of flying overcame him, and he rose higher and higher, throwing caution to the wind that lifted him. Too late, he realized he had climbed too high, the wax melted, the feathers fell off and he plummeted into the sea and drowned.

In our desire to soar—let us be sure we respect the flight pattern God has established for us. We arrogantly ignore it to our own peril. Lucifer was not content to soar where God had placed the lofty angel. He wanted a higher throne—God’s—and thus he fell and became Satan.

Do you want to soar? We were born for that purpose. Learn these lessons and you may!