Recently, I have been planning another trip to Alaska. (Yes, it is one of my absolute favorite places on earth!) And when I think about those steely grey mountains and deep blue waters, I also think about those magnificent birds, the bald eagles.

Those sea eagles are amazing. The adults are easy to spot along the coastline. The mama birds are bigger, and the babies are brown, but you sure can see dad’s white head. They build their nests up in the highest tree. And those nests are a sight to behold. They are massive, as much as 8 ft. across and they might weigh as much as 2 tons.

Both mom and dad do “nesting duties” over the eggs. And when the chicks are hatched, both parents trade off swooping around looking for food. Once the youngsters are “of age,” the parents encourage them to jump off the nest and soar.

But if the young one is reluctant, one of the parents are known to give them a bit of a nudge, just a little push to get them going. Even bald eagle parents know that their kids can’t flourish if they don’t get out of the nest and engage life.

I think the writer of the book of Deuteronomy was referencing this concept in chapter 32 verses 10-11: “… 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, that spreads its wings to catch them.”

From a theological perspective, we might call that little nudge a “discipline of disturbance.”

And God uses them all the time. He shoved on Moses with that stick into a snake thing. He pushed Nehemiah to return to his homeland with just a letter. And Jonah certainly was disturbed as he studied the insides of a whale.

But in every case, they did MOVE ON.

Every now and again, the Lord must push us along too. Maybe we are stuck in a spiritual rut of complacency. We have our spiritual life just where we want it to be-comfortable! But likely His plan for us does not stop at comfort.

So, this week, let’s all be grateful that our parents didn’t shove us out of the nest like my prized bald eagles do. And on the other hand, let’s be grateful when God does do just that. It reassures us of His love and care. It reminds us that He has a plan for our lives. And it comforts us that He will stop at nothing to make sure we “walk in the light as He is in the light.”

So go eagles! (Yes, that was quite a game!)