be the precursor of closer approach of the Father to us; and if we take
our changes and our sorrows as loving summonses from Him to effort, be
sure that we shall realise Him as near to us, in a fashion that we
never did before.

That is not all. There is sustaining power. 'He spreadeth abroad his
wings; he taketh them; beareth them on his wings.' On those broad
pinions we are lifted, and by them we are guarded. It matters little
whether the belief that the parent bird thus carries the young, when
wearied with their short flights, is correct or not. The truth which
underlies the representation is what concerns us. The beautiful
metaphor is a picturesque way of saying, 'In all their afflictions He
was afflicted; and the Angel of His presence saved them.' It is a
picturesque way of saying, 'Thou canst do all things through Christ
which strengtheneth thee.' And we may be very sure that if we let Him
'stir up our nests' and obey His loving summons to effort, He will come
very near to strengthen us for our attempts, and to bear us up when our
own weak wings fail. The Psalmist sang that angels' hands should bear
up God's servant. That is little compared with this promise of being
carried heavenwards on Jehovah's own pinions. A vile piece of Greek
mythology tells how Jove once, in the guise of an eagle, bore away a
boy between his great wings. It is foul where it stands, but it is
blessedly true about Christian experience. If only we lay ourselves on
God's wings--and that not in idleness, but having ourselves tried our
poor little flight--He will see that no harm comes to us.

During life this training will go on; and after life, what then? Then,
in the deepest sense, the old word will be true, 'Ye know how I bore
you on eagle's wings and brought you _to Myself_'; and the great
promise shall be fulfilled, when the half-fledged young brood are