Wednesday Bible Blurb “The Eagle and the Fisherman” 1 15 2025
The sound of the soft rippling water drifted across the lonely river. A few birds chirped their morning delight as I stood on the secluded bank, I was fishing. Above me flew a bald eagle, slowly circling to see if I could catch fish as well as him. My morning fishing is a time of solitude, silence and an opportunity to think deeply and meditate about God and His way of life. The mountain comes straight down to the river and large old cottonwoods stretch as far as the eye can see. Soon, the bald eagle, tired of my poor fishing perched himself on a cottonwood and continued to monitor my fishing progress. I was alone with my thoughts of God and my friend the eagle. Soon I found myself talking to not only God but to the bald eagle. I told the eagle that he was a bit lazy to just sit and watch me do all the fishing. Maybe he should come down and show me how to catch a nice river trout? Mr. Eagle just sat there and watched me, maybe he even laughed a bit at my solitude and poor fishing along the stream.
I was alone with my thoughts of God and secure in His solitude, silence and my meditation on Him. Amazing things can happen when you are alone with God in the wilderness. Moses was alone, attending the flock of Jethro when God came to him inside a burning bush in the wilderness (Ex. 3:1-2). His time of solitude and silence was broken by God talking to him. When we take the time to be close to God in our thoughts, amazing things can happen.
Jesus gave us His example of being alone with God to refresh our soul in His solitude and silence. In Matthew 4:1-2 we see Jesus, spending forty days and forty nights alone in solitude with God, fasting and praying. He developed a closeness with His (and our) Father which we should emulate. As soon as His time alone in the wilderness was complete, Satan appeared and tempted Him. Satan lost this battle and Jesus saves the world. Amazing things can happen when we spend alone time with God.
Do we make the time to spend alone with our creator God like Moses and Jesus did? Isaac “went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from her camel…: (Gen. 24:63-64 [NKJV]). Soon they were wed. Isaac made the time to be alone with God and to think about God. Amazing things can happen when we spend alone time with God.
What are we to meditate on in our alone time with God? Joshua quotes God for us, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.” (Josh. 1:8). When we make the time to meditate on the Word of God amazing things can happen. David also gives us some insight into thinking about God. “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law, he meditates day and night.” (Ps.1:2). We must make the time to think about God and His law and His way of living. Put His ways upon our heart and so deeply absorb Him that we truly think about and live His way every day.
Paul, in his instruction to his young protégé gives sage advice to Timothy. “Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.” (I Tim. 4:15). Do we give ourselves “entirely” to thinking about and meditating on God and His lawful way of life? Imagine what amazing things can happen when we spend alone time with God.
When I fish alone along the mountain river “I will also meditate on all Your work and talk of Your deeds.” (Ps.77:12). Alone, I can see the beauty of creation. I can smell the clean fresh air and hear the creatures of God making their morning sounds of life as the clear waters riffle by. I spoke to Mr. Eagle and told him of his majestic beauty as he continued to sit and watch me fish. Bam, a large fish hit my line and brought me out of my thoughts. Carefully, I reeled in the trout, took it off the hook and showed the nice fish to my friend the bald Eagle. Mr. Eagle was now very interested in what I was doing. His impression of my poor fishing began to change to one of admiration. Then his feathers began to ruffle, his head cocked a bit to one side as he gazed down at my catch. When I carefully put the trout back into the river a look of consternation and disbelief seemed to come over the eagle’s face. He must have thought how poor of a fisherman I am for not keeping the trout or at least offering it to him.
I am blessed to spend my alone time in the wilderness God made. Spending time in solitude, silence and in meditation on God’s Word surrounded by His beautiful creation is a highlight of my life. Make the opportunity to spend time alone with God. Imagine what amazing things can happen when we spend time alone with Him.
