Thought for the Day

Verses 18-20 - These verses state that there are four things which are very wonderful, and yet mysterious: how an eagle flies; how a serpent slithers; how a ship sails; and how a man and woman are attracted to one another. Solomon respected these observations by Agur and included them in his own book. We all wonder at times why things are the way they are. The only and final answer is that God created them to act this way. God's creation is truly amazing and we can learn many things by observing it.

Verse 19 - The Eagle: This bird mounts up on thermal air currents to soar at amazing heights. It must have puzzled the ancients to watch them ascend, barely flapping their wings. They are not afraid of storms, which create the best wind currents - they fly high above them. The eagle is a symbol of overcoming Christians who rise above life's storms by waiting upon the Lord. "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles..." (Isaiah 40:31). This is one of my favorite verses. I have claimed it many times, when I have been so weary that I did not think I could not go on. The Lord has never failed to give me the strength that I have needed, when I ask Him in faith to help me. This scripture states that those who "wait upon the Lord" shall renew their strength. What does it mean to "wait upon the Lord?" Certainly, the first application of this would be to wait upon the Lord's timing, and to wait for Him to show us what to do; however, there is also another application to the meaning. When we dine in a restaurant, a "waiter" comes to our table to serve us or "wait on us." When we are committed to serving God, then we are "waiting on Him;" therefore, we will be given the strength for the task He has given us to do. Even young men who do not know the Lord, will not have the strength that we are given, when we obey Christ's commands.

The Serpent: A snake's bones, muscles, and plates on the skin of its belly enable it to move on land without limbs. From Genesis 3 we find that the serpent did not always slither, but was originally created to walk as a beast. After its part in tempting Adam and Eve to sin, God reduced it to crawling on its belly, eating dust (Genesis 3:14-15). The devil, called "the serpent," preys on men who were made of dust and crawl in the dirt of sin until they are "born again" and then the Lord causes them to rise up spiritually and fly like eagles.

A Sailing Ship: The third thing that Agur mentions that amazed him is how a ship can sail in the ocean. There are physical laws that God set in motion in the earth that govern all things. These are verifiable scientific laws. In the case of a ship floating in the ocean, the laws that affect it are: the law of gravity; the law of motion; the laws of nature; and the laws of the universe. Just looking at the size and weight of a boat (especially when we see warships constructed from mega tons of steel) floating in a liquid like water, it looks impossible. However, when one understands the invisible laws that govern such a feat, then it becomes possible. In the Bible, we are asked to believe in spiritual things and things we cannot see; yet, we know they are real, because we understand the law of faith and the law of life in Christ Jesus (Matthew 19:26).

A Man With A Maid: The fourth thing that was "too wonderful" for Agur was "the way of a man with a maid." The way a man and woman are attracted to one another and "fall in love" is a very wonderful gift that God gave to men and women. Erotic and sexual love was designed by God, but it has limits and boundaries attached to it. It is to only be entered into within the bonds of matrimony. The devil has come against this husband and wife relationship by perverting it and causing men to indulge in it illegally. We find adulterers, fornicators, and homosexuals, (where men are sexually attracted to men, and women to women.) God is the one who set the standard for a marriage relationship and when men start trying to redefine marriage, they are setting themselves up to take the place of God, which is idolatry. The beautiful relationship, of love and marriage, between a man and a woman, is a type of our relationship with Christ; and that is a very holy thing (Ephesians 5:23-27).