To my dear grandchildren,
Big Trouble for Big Birds
Have you ever been in trouble? Most of us would have to answer "yes," and some of us would have to admit we needed help to get our of that trouble. Those of us who have accepted the Lord Jesus as our Saviour know that He "is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). We only need to ask Him for help.
This story is about a large group of bald eagles that got into serious trouble and needed help. If you have never seen bald eagles, they are large, magnificent birds, and when fully grown they can measure up to three feet long, with wing spans of seven feet. Their white heads and tails and large, yellow bills easily identify the mature eagles. One favorite food of these birds is fish.
Almost half of all bald eagles in the world live in Alaska. God cares for them and gave them homes near an abundance of food. He sees and cares for all His creation, not just the beautiful creatures, but the plain, little ones too. In Matthew 10:29 we learn that even when a sparrow falls to the ground [or dies], God sees it and cares. And if He cares for the little sparrow, He cares much, much more for the people He made and loves.
One winter a large fish-processing plant in Alaska parked a truck outside that was full of fish waste and left it uncovered. Fifty or more eagles swarmed onto the back of that uncovered truck to feast on the fish remains. Although the eagles did not know it, they would soon be in serious trouble.
As the feasting eagles tore apart the fish remains, they were soon covered with fish oil. The poor creatures could not fly or even clean their feathers. Some were so weak the other feasting birds trampled on top of them, injuring them. In the very cold temperature, the birds began to freeze and die. What a sad mess! These birds needed help fast, but birds can't call out for help.
Have you ever had to call for help, maybe to your dad or mom? It's always a relief when they answer right away, especially if it's serious trouble. But each of us has a very serious problem that family or friends cannot help us with. If we really think about the seriousness of our sins and that God says they will take us to a hopeless, everlasting hell, He wants us to know that not accepting the Lord Jesus as our Saviour is the MOST serious trouble possible. Jesus is the only One who can help us with our serious sin problem. God warns us, "The wages of sin is death," but then He adds the help we need: "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). If we realize our danger, the Lord Jesus is listening for our call for help.
Of course, the eagles did not realize their danger, but some of the workers at the processing plant did. The truck was quickly moved inside the plant, and the contents were dumped on the floor. The eagles needed to be revived. They were so soaked in the fish oil that they could barely move, even when they were frightened and tried to scatter. Wildlife caretakers were called and began to catch the perishing eagles. What a job they had! The eagles had to be cleaned with dish soap in tubs of warm water. Then they were taken to a heated building to dry and recover. Sadly at least nineteen eagles died, but many survived and were able to be released into the wild again . . . because there were people there to help them in their trouble.
If you haven't taken the Lord Jesus as your own Saviour, NOW is the the time to accept Him and know you have His help now and forever. The Lord is near for each one who belongs to Him, not only in times of trouble, but also each day of our lives. He says, "I will never leave thee, not forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5).
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