“They who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31
The bald eagle that graces the National Seal is one of America’s oldest and most enduring symbols. The Second Continental Congress selected it as the national symbol on June 10, 1782, because the bird was bold, majestic, faithful, and a symbol of strength and determination.
The image of the American bald eagle is also a reminder of Israel’s relationship to the Lord. Scripture encourages us to rest our foundation upon the Lord … like an eagle that stirs up its nest, flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them, bearing them on its pinions. Deuteronomy 32:11.
The bold and faithful eagle reminds us of our national vision, Christian self-government. Today, the hope for restoring America’s soul and deeply embedded loyalty to liberty is ultimately through faith in the God who answers the unyielding prayers of the righteous as the Author of truth and liberty.
Teach the Children
- The character qualities of the eagle earned the respect of our Founders, who selected it as America’s national symbol: bold, majestic, strong, determined, and faithful.
- Like the image of the eagle faithfully guarding and protecting its young, we must carefully and determinedly guard our heritage of liberty and Christian self-government.
- America’s future hope rests in our youth to respond to the challenge to keep liberty alive in their hearts and minds.
“The Founding Fathers made an appropriate choice when they selected the bald eagle as the emblem of the nation. The fierce beauty and proud independence of this great bird aptly symbolizes the strength and freedom of America. But as latter-day citizens we shall fail our trust if we permit the eagle to disappear.“
President John F. Kennedy, in a letter to the Audubon Society