Born To Fly

Just as an eagle learns to fly and accomplish what it was created to do, so God has a plan and a purpose for every person—a plan of salvation and victorious living.  But, like Peter did at times, we all struggle between faith and unbelief to find and fulfill our destinies. Consider the following:

• Peter was reluctant to let down his net when Jesus told him to, but, at the word of Jesus, he did let it down and caught a large number of fish. When Jesus told Peter that if he would follow Him and make him a fisher of men, Peter left everything and followed.

• When Jesus came to His disciples in a storm by walking on the water, Peter asked Jesus to tell him to come to Him. When He did, Peter walked on the water until he took his eyes off of Jesus and began to sink.  At his cry, Jesus lifted Peter back up and they walked on the water back to the boat.

• By revelation, Peter declared Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the living God, but when he later rebuked Jesus for saying He must die, Jesus indicated that what Peter was saying was not of God, but from Satan (Matt. 16:13-23).

• Peter, James, and John were allowed to see Jesus transfigured, but God rebuked Peter for equating Jesus with Enoch and Elijah when he suggested building three tabernacles for them (Mark 9:4-7).

• Jesus rebuked Peter for trying to fight and defend Him in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:50-54)

• Peter said he would die for Jesus because he loved Him more than the other disciples (Matt. 26:35), but denied Him three times to save his own life (Luke 22:54-62).

• In his doubt, fear, and confusion Peter thought his ministry was over, so he went back to fishing (Jn. 21:3).  But the Lord was not through with him and because he was repentant He restored Peter (Jn. 21:15-17).

The greatest fulfillment of God’s purpose for Peter’s life and the lives of all believers will be the rapture when they will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air (I Thess. 4:17).

To help illustrate my point, consider the following poem titled “Born To Fly”:

I was hatched as an eaglet in a big soft nest, and all I had to do was eat and rest.
My only thought was how much I could eat, and how much food from others I could beat.
We kept our parents busy, food for us to bring, and if they were slow, our cries would ring.
Even then, as I saw them soar in the sky, something inside me said, You were born to fly!
Then father did something that made me groan. He tore up what had been my comfort zone.
He scattered the nest and exposed some thorns that were so long and sharp my flesh was torn.
So, to the edge of the nest I had to cling and allow the wind to blow through my wings.
There had to be more.  I was not satisfied ’cause my heart told me I was born to fly.
Suddenly, I got another real big surprise; He put me on his wing and up we did rise.
At first I was scared but then what a joy, for to ride the wind was better than any toy.
But suddenly he dropped me from his wing.  I tumbled and fell, not able to do anything.
I thought for sure I was going to die, so I wanted no more of being born to fly.
Just before the ground I was going to hit, big wings swooped down so on them I could sit.
But he took me again way up in the sky, and while others laughed, I could only cry.
Finally, one time, as from his wing I dropped, the wind was a friend and the tumbling stopped.
I flew through the air with a loud victory cry:  This is my destiny, for I was born to fly.

Even though everyone is born to fly, how many are actually flying, or fulfilling the potential that God has made available to believers?