One morning, a golden eagle flying across the sky had his sight downward observing movement on the ground hoping he may spot some unsuspecting prey.
He had started out early because he knew that is the best time to hunt, as was his nature he knew that the early bird catches the worm—wake up early and put in the effort usually leads to a good catch.
The sun was coming up out of the East as it always does, so his flight was West that morning by habit, knowing that his prey would be facing Westward also, so as not to be blinded by the brightness of the morning sunlight.
He could come up from behind them making his catch much easier, without having to put up with his morning prey putting up much resistance.
This plan seemed to work for him, as he learned this strategy from his mother before he left the nest to go out on his own.
She always reminded him, ‘Prey cannot stop you if they cannot see you coming.’
He has been doing this almost every day for close to ten years, and had established this territory as his own about five years ago.
Sometimes he would go a week without hunting, and then go out and capture some prey and gorge on it all at once, until his belly felt like it would explode.
His eyes, were dark brown and like glass, so as he would glide through the air they would reflect a picture of the ground below, as they captured a perfect image of the earth with its beautiful divinely designed landscape.
He could see the top of every tree as they rose up through the ground looking like huge green colored portabella mushrooms.
He watched as the waters flowed heavy that day, down through the countryside in the knee-high creek.
Every hill and valley tested the strength of his vision, as his eyes worked like laser beams scanning for anything he could snatch up.
His wings spread out like a US, F-15 Eagle, Fighter Jet, its feathers looking similar to fingers on a large pair of hands, as God made them enormous and strong so he can glide through the air with ease.
The wind proceeded effortlessly over top of these finger like feathers making a soft and almost quiet like whistling sound.
Hanging below the belly of this majestic bird were two strong legs and feet, with four long talons on each foot with each one looking like a farmer’s scythe.
He could hear his empty belly growl, as if his last meal was demanding retribution for being sliced apart by his sharp beak, like a carving knife chopping away at raw chicken.
He had not fed for a couple of days, as the last meal seemed a little sour and left a bad taste in his mouth.
He has been having bad dreams for some time, where his prey was continually defeating him in the hunt, and they would turn on him and pick away at him instead.
Gliding in the sky for hours the eagle kept having images of these nightmares, he wanted them to stop but they would just not go away.
When he thought he may have to give up hunting on this day he all at once sees something familiar, he spots a pair of furry ears pointing up through the shrubbery along the creek.
A reddish-brown cottontail rabbit was down there, and had zeroed in on the sound of the wind moving ever so quietly over the eagle’s wings.
The cottontail was out on personal business himself, working through the long grass and shrubs to find a good area to settle down for a while to nibble on some fresh vegetation.
His satellite-dish like ears picked up on the eagle gliding overtop, so his best move at this point was to make no movement at all.
The cottontail had some issues of his own, as he was just a young rabbit, about one year old.
He did not like taking instructions from the mother rabbit when she raised him, on how to be safe out by the creek, how to stay hidden from predators, because he thought he knew it all.
Many times, his lack of awareness got him in trouble, but he believed that his good fortune would never run out.
The mother rabbit always told him, ‘Either you wake up or you will be sorry.’
So now, the cottontail begins to think, “Maybe the eagle has not spotted me.”
Possibly he can outsmart this bird, he better not let a muscle flinch, perhaps the eagle will just fly away?
The rabbit’s heart starts to beat faster, as the eagle makes a circle over him.
Should he make a move, should he try to hop quickly and find a place of cover?
The eagle is patient, even though his hunger pains are growing stronger.
If he makes a move and the rabbit out maneuvers him he will be left with nothing for his talons to latch onto, and carry away home for breakfast.
The eagle descends closer to the ground, he tries to surprise the cottontail with a dive and scoop attack, but the rabbit is too quick, he hops lateral and the bird has to make another try.
The cottontail picks up speed in his getaway attempt, his eyes notice an area of cover in the distance; he is hopping fast and hopes he can make it.
Meanwhile, the eagle has made a circle and comes flying in right behind the speeding rabbit with his talons out stretched.
The rabbit can feel the farmer like scythes as they touch the fur on his back, his heart beating so fast he thinks it is going to explode out of his chest.
If he can only make it to the place of safety before the eagle grabs him and carries him upward.
“Faster!” he says to himself, “Come on, move it, you are almost there,” as his mind races faster than his legs.
All of a sudden, the eagle quickly pulls his wings inward which cuts his speed and brings him to a stop, while still at top speed the cottontail makes some good distance between them.
The eagle lands on the ground, with his feet kicking up some loose earth as he skids to a stop.
The cottontail’s speed gets him closer to the place he spotted as a safe place, then he makes a spectacular dive into this place of cover, like a baseball player diving head first into second base.
His heartbeat begins to slow, as he feels like he got away from yet another attacker, he checks to see if he is still in one piece and realizes that he is; he escaped death unscathed once again.
The cottontail turns around to see the eagle walking toward his hiding place like a drunken sailor, the eagle tries to walk up straight and not fall over, as his leg muscles take a few seconds to find the strength to hold up and balance his massive wings.
As the eagle gets closer to the hiding place where the cottontail is taking refuge he feels the sound of heavy footsteps coming at him, he turns and sees a man running hard toward him with a big stick and yelling, “Get away from him you vulture!”
Of course, the eagle was offended at being called a vulture, but he knew that if he did not get out of there quickly he may end up with a massive headache, after receiving that big stick on the top of his head.
He did not leave his nest that morning to end up coming home with some lumps on the noggin, and with no food.
Therefore, he opens up his wings and ascends into the sky away from the threat against him.
The man kneels down and grabs the cottontail by his long ears, and pulls him out from under his place of cover, and cuddles him up in his arms.
The man pets the cottontail on the head ever so gently, back and forth, trying to show him comfort.
All of a sudden, the cottontail falls to the ground like a brick from the sky, hitting the ground with a heavy thump.
The fall hurt a bit, but most of all the warmth of the man’s cuddle is gone, and so is the man.
Where did he go? He has disappeared!
The cottontail is in disbelieve, as one second the man is there and the next second he is gone.
Let me tell you a mystery, the Lord wills that you not be in ignorant bliss, for what you do not know can hurt you.
In a flash the Body will be changed, in the twinkling of an eye.
A trumpet will sound, and they that are living, and those that have departed in Christ, will be raised immortal.
The Lord will descend from out of Heaven shouting a command, and an archangel will be heard.
The command sounds like, ‘Come up here, and see all things from here on out.’
Those passed away, along with the living, will meet the Lord in the spiritual realm, and then be with him forevermore.
Comfort each other with this promise.
Pictures: CC0 Creative Commons
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