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A few nights ago my son and I were out in the front yard. It was a beautiful spring evening. The sun was low in the sky, spreading it's warm rays across the yard. One of the dogs was laying in the grass, watching us as we walked down the
driveway to inspect the killdeer eggs. A mama killdeer picked the edge of our driveway to make her nest. Her
unborn babies are nestled into the gravels, near the grass, perfectly disguised in nature. One really has to look to see them.
As we got closer to her "hide out", she jumped up and squawked at us. She puffed her self up to show us all her feathers. It was as if she was trying to pick a fight with us. "Come and get me!" she chirped.
Killdeer are interesting that way. Mama bird distracts the enemy from the nest. She gets the enemy to follow her by getting his attention, then running off and pretending her wing is damaged. "Oh, I'm hurt...why don't you try and come and eat me?" She screeches even louder. My son and I followed her to the end of the driveway. She ran out onto the road and at the last minute flew away...only to circle back around to check and make sure we were not heading back to the nest.
Living where we do, we see a lot of nature...up close and personal. Birds and their nests, geese honking, in the spring rain pond, across the road, a ground hog that has made a home in the bank next to the creek, and deer bounding across the open fields. The sun shines brightly, while the wind bows the
tall grass of the fields into submission. Life is all around us. Spring time birth.
Sometimes I just have to stop and ponder the wonder of it all.
The
God who sets all things in motion, who sends the rain and the wind, who created the animals, and has the sun set in space...all of nature cries out to exclaim the glory and wonder of God.
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Psalm 96: 11-12 NIV “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Luke 19: 38-40God has done all of these things and so much more and yet He knows me. Me. He doesn't just sort of know me. He didn't create me and leave me. He not only knows me, He longs for me to know Him...and for you to know Him too.
Let that sink in for a moment.
God, each Spring, resurrects life. He covers the hills with new, emerald green grass, wildflowers in all their beauty, nature is new again...and fresh and beautiful.
That is what He does with me too. God is intimately involved in my daily life. He breathes new life into a dry spirit, after a long, dark winter. He comforts me, much like the mama bird who defends and protects her not yet born, children. There is new, fresh joy at the knowledge of His love.
Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings... Psalm 17:8I have to stop and consider the wonder of it all.
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