Birds and Lions

This morning as I was birdwatching out my window with my kids, (Can you find the robin in this picture?) I was reminded of a devotion I wrote a couple of years ago around this time. When I looked back on it in my journal, I thought it might be worth sharing.

March 2, 2007
The early bird gets the worm...or so that's what they say. There are about 50 Robins in my neighbor's yard this morning. That's either a lot of worms, or he put some bird seed out! Either way, it's a sign to me that Spring is on its way. We haven't seen any Robins in months. I can't wait until the warmth of the sun takes the chill away from the cold weather we've been having.

As I was watching the Robins going to and fro, content with whatever they were finding for breakfast this morning, the first thing that came to my mind was the familiar verse "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Matthew 6:25-27 NIV).

Got it, Lord. Don't worry because You have it under control. I'm not worried about anything right now though. Life is good and I am trusting You to provide for me and my family. Is there another lesson you want me to learn this morning?

Enter cat... Those birds sure did scatter!

OH. I see. It is one thing to trust the Lord when all is going well. Having a good day? It's easy to praise Him. Got a raise at work? Thanks be to God for providing! Are the kids behaving nicely? God is good. You get the picture. When things are going great, and everything is under control in our lives, we tend to pat God on the back. "Good job God. You're taking care of my needs, just the way I like it."

Can you hear the BUT coming?

Here it is. But when all of a sudden a "cat" takes us by surprise, we find it a little more difficult to trust that God has everything under control. All chaos breaks loose because the enemy comes in "like a roaring lion" and steals our peace. (1 Peter 5:8) We scatter. We think that God has somehow let us down. We feel alone in our struggles and anxious about what's going to happen next.

Let's look at the Lion in context. 1 Peter 5:7-9 says "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Be self controlled and alert. The devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering."

You see, we are not left alone to face our enemy. We can cast our anxieties on Him. Why? Because he cares for us. We can stand firm, knowing that someone else has been through or is going through the same trials that we are.

Yes, everything is good in my life right now. I feel at peace. I thank God for times like these because I know that at any given moment a trial might come my way. That is why the bible tells us to "be self controlled and alert." Be ready for anything, good or bad.

Which place are you in today? Are you the robin, without worry, or has the lion pounced in to steal your peace? Either way, my friend, stand firm. You are not alone.

Thank You, Lord for the lesson that you have given me in the robin and the lion. You are present in both times of peace and times of turmoil. Help me to stand firm in both.

I am in another season of peace right now, and I am thankful for it. What I thought of this morning that I had not thought of before though, is that He has peace for us even in the difficult times when we trust in Him. It goes back to my last Siesta memory verse. "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3

Lord, please create in me a steadfast mind!