by Debra Neybert, Heartbeat International Training Specialist

from Take Heart | Volume 2, Issue 10

Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!  Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:  Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,  Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies,  Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. Psalm 103: 1-5.

David begins this Psalm by extolling the Lord with His whole heart and proclaiming the amazing benefits we receive when we are in relationship with Him.  He forgives us, He heals us, He redeems us, He crowns us, He satisfies us and He renews us!

Verse 5 has some wonderful insights, “Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.”

God satisfies and fulfills our deepest longings with good things.  The word “satisfies” means to be fulfilled, have plenty and to enrich. The word mouth is also translated soul, so in essence the Lord satisfies the deepest place in us with His own goodness.

Psalm 105:40 says “They asked, and he brought them quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.”  We know that Jesus is the bread of heaven; and He alone can satisfy!

God also desires to renew our youth like the eagles! Eagles are known to fly to an altitude of 10,000 feet; they ride columns of rising air called thermals while migrating.  An eagle can circle effortlessly in a strong thermal to a high altitude, and then glide long distances.  We can catch those spiritual thermals and rise above to go the distance!

The Hebrew word for renew used in this verse is Kered and it means to rebuild and repair. Eagles also molt in patches, taking almost half a year to replace feathers, starting with the head and working downward. They go through this process more than once because not all the feathers are replaced in a given molt or they couldn’t continue to fly and hunt for food.

Jesus came to restore us to perfect wholeness, fulfillment, peace and joy. The journey to wholeness includes repairs and renewal along the way, perhaps you’re in that place right now, maybe you feel a bit isolated, maybe you’re even “replacing” some old thought patterns and ways and it hasn’t been an easy process.  Be encouraged and rest in the faithfulness of God to complete the work he started in you.

When you think about it, the eagle goes through a renewal process so it can continue to hunt and eat.  Eating is what gives us strength and satisfies us in the natural.  When we apply this spiritually, we understand that the bread of heaven, Jesus, the word made flesh, is our only source of satisfaction and renewal.  The word of the Lord is living and active today, may you partake and be refreshed!