Through the ages, few creatures of nature have inspired more awe and wonder in the human soul than the eagle.
Since 1782, the bald eagle has been the United States national emblem, symbolizing courage, strength and freedom. It is easy to see why, considering the bird's 7-foot wingspan, powerful talons and majestic appearance as it soars at lofty altitudes.
In ancient times, Isaiah prophesied, "They that 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.)
Similar imagery can be found elsewhere in scripture.
In Exodus 19:4, the Lord reminded the Israelites that He had borne them "on eagles' wings" through their earlier trials and implied that He would continue to do so if they would make and keep a covenant to obey His commandments.
In the latter-day dispensation, the Lord promised Lyman Wight in an 1838 revelation that if he was faithful in doing what he was commanded, "I will bear him up as on eagles' wings; and he shall beget glory and honor to himself and unto my name." (Doctrine and Covenants 124:18.)
In all three of these scriptural passages, the figure of speech — being "borne on eagles' wings" — conveys the idea of a loving Father lifting His children far beyond their inherent capacity, sustaining them through tribulation, magnifying their best efforts and endowing them with power to attain what He desires for them.
The imagery comes from the care and protection that eagles instinctively give offspring who are learning to fly. When an eaglet first makes such an attempt, the parents are poised nearby. Some say that if the young bird falters, either parent will swoop in and carry the fledgling on its larger and stronger wings.
Indeed, concerted devotion by both male and female to their young makes eagles an unusual species in the animal kingdom.
Eagles mate for life. A pair will use the same nest — usually poised on a rocky ledge or sometimes a large tree — year after year and add to it until it grows, typically, to 5 feet in diameter.
Bald eagles lay from one to three eggs at a time. But for even one hatchling to survive to adulthood requires ceaseless determination from both parents. One or the other is on the nest at all times, not just for incubation but to ward off danger from marauding creatures.
After the eaglets hatch, the female gives them her constant attention while the male provides food, a task that requires almost continuous hunting. Eventually, the female hunts as well, but that is the primary role of the male, especially early on, while the mother focuses on coaxing her young to accept the bits of meat provided by the father.
As the young birds acquire size and feathers, the parents will fly by with bits of food, enticing them to leave the nest and try their wings. Taking short flights for four or five weeks, the fledglings acquire the flying and hunting skills necessary to their survival as adults.
In a metaphorical sense, the instinctive behavior of eagle mates toward each other and their young provides Latter-day Saint parents examples worth emulating.
"Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children," the First Presidency declared in "The Family: a Proclamation to the World." "Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs. . . ."
Human children generally stand a much better chance of physical survival than do eaglets. But spiritually speaking, these are perilous times indeed, and their safety requires the best efforts of both father and mother. "By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families," the First Presidency stated in the proclamation. "Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners."
And in fulfilling those responsibilities, absolute fidelity to each other is essential.
"Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God" and "the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children," the First Presidency proclaimed. That plan will bring unmeasured blessings and joy to families in this life and in the eternities to come.
Keeping an eye single to the glory of God endows parents with a spiritual vision that far transcends the keen eye of the eagle. And if they follow prophetic admonition and observe some eaglelike qualities in their marriages, their families truly will be borne "as on eagles' wings."
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