THE EAGLE'S ENTRAPMENT

 

A great bald eagle sat in tranquil dignity on his lookout high above the valley basin. The last wisp of vapor had vanished, drunk up by the rising sun. The sharp eye of the eagle had clear command of every district of his realm.

Soon he launched majestically from his perch and sailed down over the jagged pine trees and gleaming lakes to his favorite fishing spot. When the eagle arrived, he noticed a slight change. A large rock had been placed near the shore. Since it was something new, IT WAS TO BE A SUSPECT OF DANGER.

He flew over it without stopping, and alighted on the top of a dead tree nearby. After a piercing scrutiny, he was convinced that the rock was a PROVISION FOR HIS CONVENIENCE. He sailed down and perched upon it. Then he saw a large fish lying on the grass. He considered again. If the fish had been near the water’s edge, he would have understood. But on the grass. . . well that was an uncommon situation for a fish to get itself into.

The wise eagle now peered SUSPICIOUSLY into the neighboring bushes. He scanned every grassy area and cast a sweeping survey up and down the shores. EVERYTHING WAS AS IT SHOULD BE. So he hopped down, clutched the fish in his sharp claws, and was about to fly away when he caught sight of another fish. AND YET ANOTHER, plainly, THE WILDERNESS WAS CARING FOR HIS NEEDS IN A MOST UNEXPECTED AND LAVISH WAY.

But, across the lake, the sharp eyes of a CUNNING TRAPPER studied every move which the eagle made. This trapper had been offered a large sum of money to CAPTURE an eagle alive. He was a CRAFTY AND EXPERIENCED TRAPPER, and he knew that the WISE MONARCH OF THE SKY WOULD NOT BE SNARED BY ANY ORDINARY MEANS.

On the following day the great eagle returned. He found that the supply of fish had been MIRACULOUSLY RENEWED. THIS PROVISION WOULD LIGHTEN HIS LABORS AND GIVE HIM MORE TIME TO SIT UPON HIS PERCH AND TO VIEW HIS DOMAIN. At every visit to his fishing spot he perched on the rock and devoured at least one fish before carrying a meal to his nest. HIS SURPRISE AND CURIOSITY AS TO THE SOURCE OF THE SUPPLY HAD DIED OUT BY THE SECOND DAY. Wild creatures quickly come to accept an obvious benefit, however extraordinary, as one of the PROVISIONS WHICH UNSEEN POWERS BESTOW WITHOUT EXPLANATION.

By the time the eagle had come to this frame of mind THE SILENT TRAPPER WAS READY FOR HIS NEXT MOVE. He made a huge, strong hoop-net and on a moonlit night, carefully dug the long handle into the ground at the water’s edge. He put it in an angle so that the hoop was almost level, about four feet from the rock. Having accomplished this, the CLEVER TRAPPER scattered fish upon the ground. Then HE DISAPPEARED INTO THE FOREST.

On the following morning the mighty eagle sat on his lookout. His intense gaze swept the vast, shadowy basin. For fully half an hour he watched in regal stillness. Then he lifted off his perch and flew leisurely to his fishing spot. As he drew near, he was puzzled and annoyed by the ODD STRUCTURE which had been erected above his rock during the night. He at once checked his flight and began soaring in great circles. Higher and higher he flew, trying to make out WHAT THAT STRANGE OBJECT WAS. He could see, however, that the fish were there as usual. At length , he satisfied himself that no hidden peril lurked in the nearby bushes.

He descended to the nearest tree top and spent a good half hour in motionless scrutiny. He little guessed that a solitary figure, equally motionless and far more patient, was watching every move from a thicket across the lake. At the end of this long watch the eagle decided that a closer investigation was desirable. He flew down to the sandy shore WELL AWAY FROM THE NET. He found a fish which he devoured. Then he found another. This one he carried away to his nest. He had not solved the mystery of the strange structure overhanging his rock, BUT HE PROVED THAT IT WAS NOT ACTUALLY DANGEROUS.

When the eagle returned an hour later, THE NET LOOKED LESS STRANGE TO HIM. He even perched on the sloping handle. THE STRUCTURE SEEMED QUITE HARMLESS. He hopped down and looked with keen interest at the fish lying under the hoop beside the rock. He reached out with beak and claw and clutched the fish and quickly hopped back. The eagle repeated this cautious procedure at every visit throughout the day.

But, when he came again on the next day, THE EAGLE HAD GROWN ONCE MORE UTTERLY CONFIDENT. He went under the net WITHOUT HESITATION OR APPREHENSION and perched UNCONCERNEDLY on the stone in the midst of the banquet.

The next morning, about an hour before dawn, a canoe SLIPPED UP TO THE SHORE about a hundred yards from the net. THE TRAPPER stepped out, lifting the canoe from the water AND HID IT IN THE BUSHES. Then he began to make some important CHANGES IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE NET. First he tied a strong cord to the rim of the hoop. Then he ran the cord to the ground, under a shallow root, and into a nearby thicket. He pulled on the cord. THE NET BENT DOWN UNTIL IT COVERED THE ROCK. When he released the cord, the net rebounded to its former position. After satisfying himself that all was ready, he BAITED THE TRAP WITH THE USUAL FISH AND CREPT UNDER THE THICKET. There he waited in perfect STILLNESS through the chilly hours of the breaking day.

At last there came the sound of mighty wings in the still air above him. The TRAPPER watched as the eagle landed on the sand next to the rock. THIS TIME THERE WAS NO HESITATION. The great bird, for all its wisdom, HAD BEEN LURED INTO ACCEPTING THE STRUCTURE AS PART OF THE ESTABLISHED ORDER. He hopped right under the net, clutched a large fish, and perched on the stone to enjoy his meal. At that moment the eagle sensed a SHADOW OF MOVEMENT IN THE THICKET. His muscles tightened for that instantaneous spring into the SAFETY of the air. BUT BEFORE HE COULD MOVE, THE LARGE NET CAME DOWN ABOUT HIM WITH A TERRIBLE SWISH.

An intense struggle ensued between THE BIRD AND THE NET – BEATING WINGS, TEARING BEAK, CLUTCHING TALONS. But soon the mighty eagle was HELPLESSLY ENTANGLED IN THE MESHES OF THE UNYIELDING TRAP.

Questions for reflection:

1. Who does the trapper remind you of?

2. What qualities did the eagle have that should have helped him overcome the temptation?

3. What were the ways of the trapper?

4. Why do you think satan has to trap us?

5. What kinds of tricks/traps does satan do to us to get us to sin?

6. Why does he have so much perseverance?

7. How crafty was the trapper in his devices?

8. How do we have victory over the trapper?
Ephesians 6:10-18
The Whole Armor of God

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints

AUTHOR UNKNOWN