Look Toward the Sky

My niece and I were at the track last week, walking. Actually, she was walking with a friend, and I was walking with my headphones. They were walking at a training pace, while I was just walking for enjoyment and the pleasure of being out in the sun and the breeze. It was a perfect day. Hot, but low humidity, blue skies with a few lacy clouds. I had a favorite Christian music radio station dialed up on my iPhone. It was a pleasant morning to be out in God’s creation.

On one of my trips around the track, I looked up in the sky and noticed a large, dark-colored bird flying in small circles. I thought that was odd, so I stopped to take a closer look. What I found was that the big bird was actually chasing a small black bird around. They were going around and around. Finally, the large bird overtook the small bird, grabbed him and flew off toward the mountain with him. I later told my niece, “I hope he is taking him off to just annoy him and not have him for lunch!”

Birds have been a thing around here this summer. I’m beginning to think our yard is becoming a bird sanctuary. The same robins and blue jays are back this year. I can not really see the hummingbirds any more They are too tiny and too fast for my vision to fix on, but I would hazard a guess that they are still around. We usually have a couple of bright red cardinals. This year I have actually seen the female cardinal. I don’t really remember seeing the female before. Those are our regulars from year to year. This year, however, there have been some little bitty brown and tan birds flitting around the front shrubs. They have also been scurrying across the front porch, which I don’t particularly like. They seem to leave a calling card that I keep having to go wash off. They sing beautifully though. They walk around on the ground and just flit away from me when I go out.

This may be hard to believe, but I think I even saw a quail in the back yard. I heard this strange bird sound. It sounded loud, and it sounded like a bird in distress. So I poked my head out the side door and wobbling out from between the house and the garage was, what looked like to me, a quail. I ran back in the house to grab my camera, but it was gone from the back yard by the time I got there. Strange goings on around here… but then, what is new in 2020?

I just keep thinking about the tiny bird in the sky. It was trying as best it could to get away from the danger of the predatory bird that was stalking it. I think it finally just gave up. I saw it flying free, trying to escape the clutches of the larger bird, and then it seemed to disappear as it ended up in the clutches of the large bird with it’s fate in question.

I don’t know a lot about birds, but why was this little bird out in the big, open sky away from the safety of the trees and power lines? Where was it’s support system, the ones that could have ganged up on the larger bird? What was it thinking as it flew away from the flock of safety? Even more, what was it thinking as it was carried away into sure destruction?

When you think about it, we are a lot like that little bird. We make decisions that put us out in the big, open sky away from the people and places that keep us safe. God gives us support systems – our family, friends and fellow Christians. We should utilize them to help us gang up on the evil that besets us. We need to stay connected to our safe place and those that care about us. It is too late when we are alone, out in the mist of our bad decisions, being overpowered by the evil one and headed in to destruction.

The Bible is our biggest instruction guide. If we follow the precepts and principles of God’s Word, we will find it easier to  traverse the paths of our lives and stay out of the dangerous places that can destroy our lives.  

Don’t be like that poor little bird that had lost all hope.  Strengthen your relationship with Christ; seek unity with family; and stay bonded together with your church family.  Use God’s Word to make good decisions, and allow the Holy Spirit to fully fill you and keep you headed toward the destinations that God has for you.  

Always look toward the sky and know that God will be there to cover you and shelter you with His wings.  Don’t be unwilling to allow Him to be there for you.  While Jesus was with us here on earth, He desired for people to look toward Him and allow Him to comfort them.   “… how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”  Luke 13:34 34

Be willing! Allow Christ to be there for you. The exciting thing is that Christ will come again and redeem us out of the craziness that is this world. Do you know Him? Do you know the peace that can come only from an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ? You can know Him. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, born into human flesh, sinless, crucified and giving His life freely, buried, arisen on the third day, will come into your life and change the outcome of your eternity. You just have to be willing to believe and accept His truth.

——–

“Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.” (Proverbs 4:6)

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” (Psalm 5:11 NIV)

“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3 NIV)