February 18

Loved into Abundance

He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young (Deuteronomy 32:10, 11).

Scripture: Deuteronomy 32:10-14

Song: “On Eagle’s Wings”

Lands along the banks of the James River, running through Richmond, Virginia, are home to many bird species. Years ago, largely due to harmful pesticides, the area’s bald eagle population fell precipitously. Concerned individuals and groups spurred government to make environmental changes necessary for a “rebirth” of the area’s eagle population. Absent intervention, the eagles may have disappeared.

The Israelites found themselves in an inhospitable environment too, the desert. Forty years they wandered. Their fate, had they been left to fend for themselves, would have been tenuous at best. They needn’t have worried. A loving God was not about to abandon His children. By His love, God gave manna and quail from the sky and water from rocks to sustain them (see Nehemiah 9:15; Psalm 105:40). God’s love prevailed. It always does.

Watching an eagle soar above the river evokes awe. Imagining God’s merciful hand extending downward, reaching out to each beloved child, fills one’s heart to overflowing with love that intervenes to sustain us with everything we need to thrive.

Precious Father, in love You led me out of the wasteland of worldliness. Teach me, I pray in Jesus’ name, to reflect that love upon those I encounter.

February 18–24. Robert L. Stephens, a retiree living in Glen Allen, Virginia, loves spending time with family and in lay speaking. He and his wife, Linda, enjoy traveling and count National Parks among their favorite destinations.