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Encounter God

Have you ever seen a totem pole?

The most beautiful totems I have seen are mounted in Stanley Park in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, my home for five years. On those particular totems are a wolf, a beaver, a frog, and a thunderbird. Perhaps the most prominent and proud animal crowning the pole is an eagle.

A totem is a natural object or animal that is believed by a particular society to have spiritual significance and is subsequently adopted by that group as an emblem. In my younger years, I associated the connection of specific animals to groups or tribes to be of Native or pagan origins — or perhaps the things of high school athletic programs (Go Wildcats!).

But, as a follower of Jesus, and the descendant of a rich Judeo-Christian heritage, I now understand the concept of a totem as deeply personal and spiritual, and I embrace the power of that concept in my own faith journey.

For me, the totem figure is the eagle, and let me share with you why.

About 25 years ago, God called my wife Laura and I to plant a church. The small congregation (about 40) felt that God was calling them to launch out in faith and develop a new community to serve Alpena. It was a very risky venture, because, at that time, nine out of 10 new church starts failed within their first 10 years. So our odds weren’t very good.

But we were certain in our vision for what God might do through us.

On our very first Sunday, we assembled at the home of one of our members in a meadow in Lachine. There we gathered with our lawn chairs and one another as we launched worship in the open air. It was a beautiful northern Michigan Sunday, and, following a greeting, some singing and testimony, and the reading of God’s word, I began to preach.

Little did I know, there was something remarkable going on overhead.

The people observed an eagle soaring above me.

Evidently, the raptor had caught a warm column of air, and was almost hanging suspended in midair, wings spread, easily navigating back and forth over our little gathering. It soared above us for the entire service, easily 45 minutes, and, when the benediction was offered, the people couldn’t wait to tell me all about that eagle.

Later, as we reflected together on that first worship service and the presence of the beautiful eagle, we were drawn to the image-rich metaphor of “God-as-Eagle” from the book of Exodus 19:4: “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself.”

From that time on, our congregation embraced the open wingspan of a soaring bald eagle as a symbol of God’s leadership and deliverance into a new horizon of hope.

The references to God’s protecting and delivering presence as being like an eagle are multiple in scripture, and then there are the pictures of God’s protection as being like a wing that covers and gathers God’s people.

Framed images of eagles grace the walls of that church, with scriptures like the poetic declaration of strength in Isaiah 40:31: “Those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.”

The eagle became our totem, depicting our connection with a loving and strong God.

So, 25 years after that Sunday morning eagle soaring above my head, I had another closer encounter with my totem.

I was moving into retirement, and, on a particular day, I was driving to my office to continue packing and cleaning to make way in the “study” for the new pastor. I was taking an alternative route. As I made my way down Washington Avenue and approached the cemeteries, I noticed a large bald eagle in the distance, soaring easily above the traffic.

It caught my attention, and I was arrested by its majesty.

And then something terrifyingly magnificent happened.

As the eagle soared, it banked to its left and began a descent.

“Interesting,” I thought. “It must see something it wants.”

While I continued to pay attention to the road, I noticed that the bird was descending directly toward me. I thought it perhaps spied a breakfast treat in the Thunder Bay River and was diving to catch it. But my fascination turned to terror as the bird apparently was targeting me.

In a moment, my heart shifted to an adrenaline pace, as out of my peripheral vision I saw the eagle get closer and closer to me as it dove. The raptor was uncomfortably close.

I swerved my car toward the gates of Evergreen Cemetery, anticipating that the eagle would crash into my vehicle or, worse yet, that I would hit the animal head-on.

But there was no physical contact. It was as though the eagle made itself manifestly visible and close, only to skim the roof of my car and be on its way.

I was physically shaking.

For me, that was a sign, a theophany of sorts. I experienced the eagle as a reminder to me as I moved through yet another threshold of life that God was still guiding me as a mature man. God was carrying this retiree on dynamic and powerful wings into yet another adventure.

How has God made His real presence known to you? God is there, soaring above your day. Powerful, protecting, guiding. From the Book of Ruth 2:12, spoken by Boaz the Kinsman-Redeemer: “May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

Trust in God.

Find your refuge in him.

Warren Hoffman is a 43-year veteran of pastoral ministry and considers himself a native of Alpena. He is married to his ministry partner and beloved, Laura Hoffman.

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