The Citizen, 2009-01-29, Page 12By Pastor Brent Kipfer,Brussels Mennonite FellowshipAfter more than 15 years ofeconomic growth, our nation is now
in recession.
Key employers in our region have
closed factories or reduced staff in
the past year.
How do our families and
communities nurture courage and
hope for the future as we face
uncertain times? What does it look
like to trust God when we are
unsettled in one way or another?
In Deuteronomy 32: 10-11,
Moses compares God to an eagle
who is teaching her young chicks to
fly. He points to five things that an
eagle does to guide her children:
1. She stirs up the nest;
2. She hovers over her young;
3. She spreads out her wings;
4. She takes the eaglets up in the
air; and
5. She carries them on her wings.
This is how God leads us:
disturbing our nest, hovering over
us in love, spreading out his wings
to teach us, taking us into the wind
so that we can practise flying, and
catching us when we fall.
Stirring the nest
For young eagle chicks, their nest
is safe and comfortable, padded
with feathers, leaves and maybe
some kind of fur. They take its
warmth (and free meals!) for
granted. Who would want to leave?
One day, though, Mom seems to
go crazy. She pulls up the thick
carpet of fur and feathers. She
pitches the leaves over the side of
the nest. Soon there’s nothing left of
their home but its skeleton: thorns,
broken branches and rocks. The
chicks do not like the new rustic
interior design.
God is sometimes like an eagle
that disturbs her nest. We are caught
off guard. What’s happening? Our
life had been so stable! Our routine
so predictable! Our health so
consistent! Our church so
comfortable! Our family so
peaceful!
The preacher Campbell Morgan
once said that “The life that is never
disturbed by God is dying and
withering and falling. God is
forever...stirring up the nest, rousing
us from our lethargy....God is
always disturbing us.”
Where does it lead? What could
God possibly be up to?
Hovering
The mother eagle does not
answer – at least not with words.
The young eaglets are confused,
afraid, puzzled. Everything ischanging around them. Next, their mother hovers overthem, moving close, reminding
them of her presence and care,
covering them with her wings. This
is also a picture of the Lord, who
knows when we are struggling,
understands our confusion and
hovers over us with his Spirit.
If we stop to notice, we will find
the expanse of his wings, the
certainty of his protection, the
security of his presence, the
intensity of his love. The Lord does
not apologize for stirring up the nest
– but he does draw near, hovering
and inviting us to trust.
Spreading wings
The eagle stirs up the nest, hovers
over her young and then spreads out
her wings. By instinct, the eaglets
also begin to open theirs. They look
awkward, but they see and imitate
their mother.
Like the eagle, Jesus Christ also
goes ahead of us. He asks us to
watch him, to see where he is
leading us, to follow and discover
the purpose behind our disturbed
nest. He trains us to spread ourwings. We are students (disciples!):eaglets being taught to fly.Taking them up
Finally, the eagle takes her young
ones up in the air. They feel the
wind. It is exciting and new. They
look around. Suddenly, it’s all a
blur. They are falling – but there is
no nest below to stop them. They
beat their wings. They are frantic.
Nothing is working right. They are
in a free fall.
Maybe you can identify with
that. Maybe you know what it is
like to fall down, life spinning out
of control. Maybe God led you to
step out of your nest in faith. You
gathered up your courage and took a
risk. You left your comfortable
place and went somewhere new.
You wanted more of what God had
in store for you. You stepped out of
your nest – but then floundered.
Your wings couldn’t quite catch the
wind. You fell.
Bearing them on her wings
See what the mother eagle does
next. She swoops down. She
manoeuvres beneath her falling
chicks and catches them on herwings. They try and they fall. Shecatches them. They try again andthey fall. She catches them. It
happens again the next day. She will
stick with it until they learn to fly –
catching and carrying them as long
as they need it.
Eagles are created to fly. That
has been the point all along, the
goal of her teaching. If the mother
eagle never disturbed her children,
they might enjoy the comfort of the
nest – but would never fulfil the
purpose for which they were
created: to fly.
As God stirs up the nest and
teaches us to fly, there is real danger
that we will misunderstand his
purpose. From where we sit, some
of his actions do not make sense.
We do not understand what God
could possibly be up to.
Still, the more we come to know
him, the more we trust him. We can
be sure that his purpose for us is
good and that his goal is our
freedom and ability to fly well with
him.
In Isaiah 40, God restates his
promise:
…those who wait on the Lord willfind new strength.They will fly high on wings likeeagles.
They will run and not grow
weary.
They will walk and not faint.
Remember this promise when
your nest is being stirred up!
PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2009.From the Minister’s StudyWhat to do when ‘your nest is stirred up’
The Majestic Women’s Institute
hosted an afternoon dessert card
party on Jan. 22. It was a great
success with approximately 34
guests treated to a wide selection of
desserts and coffee or tea, then
enjoying games of euchre. Share the
wealth was won by Ruth Shiell.
Other winners were: Viola Adams,
ladies’ high; Leslie Knight, men’s
high; Linda Minielly and Mary
Davidson, ladies’ lone hands; Jim
Bridge, men’s lone hands; Roger
McHardy and Charlie Cameron,
men’s low; Beryl Smith, ladies’low.
Tally winners were Orval Bauer,
James Bowman, Shirley Bowman,
Sharon Freeman, Charles Ladd, Kay
Hesselwood, Leona McDonald,
Kathy Bridge and Edythe Glousher.
308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 519-523-4590
B l y t h C o m m u n i ty Church of God
C H U R C H O F G O D ,ANDERS
O
N
,
I
N
D
I
A
N
A
“The Church
is not a building,
it is people
touching people
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
- Christian Education
for all ages
11:00 a.m. - Worship Service
Mid-week Bible Studies
See you
Sunday!
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, February 1
Brussels Public School
at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 years of age (mornings only)
Childcare provided for infants and toddlers
Coffee & cookies after the morning service
For additional details please contact:
Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-9831
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Blyth United Church
Office: 519-523-4224
Rev. Gary Clark
All Welcome
Sunday, February 1
Morning Worship Service
and Sunday School
11:00 a.m.
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
Tuesdays 7:30 pm - Wingham Bible Study
1st & 3rd Wednesdays 7:30 pm - Women at the Well
Fridays 7:30 pm - Youth Group (at the school)
Evangelical Missionary Church
February 1 - 1 Samuel 2:12ff
The Danger
of
Disregarding
God
Holy Communion
Please join us for worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00am
Evening Service 7:30pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth
Sermon Topic: Deuteronomy 28:1-14
“Obedience Sets the Path for Blessing”
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come
and worship with us
Trinity, Blyth
9:15 a.m.
519-523-9595
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
519-887-6862
Parish of New Beginnings
Morning Prayer - February 1
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, February 1
Ethel United Church
Worship Service - 9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service - 11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
PASTOR DAVID WOOD
119 John’s Ave.,Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
9:30 a.m.
Sunday School & Small Groups
10:30 a.m.
Morning Worship Services
Evening Services are cancelled
for the winter months.
UPCOMING EVENTS
ALPHA MARRIAGE COURSE
Begins Sunday, February 1st
If you and your spouse would be
interested in taking part
in this 8 week course,
please call the church office for
more information. Room
available for only 10 couples.
Majestic hosts
dessert euchre