I love God's little creatures...I love to hear the song of the birds...
So sweet, such a language flowing in perfect harmony!
They are so graceful in flight and perky in character,
Majestically adorned in an array of beautiful plumage...
I became fond of these when I started to work near a large window in my home
In the Spring and Summer they would come to enjoy berries offered by the bushes
In Fall they would come to find shelter from the wind
In Winter they would come and seemed to shiver in the cold as they hunted for food
I bought a "squirrel proof " feeder...
I say that because I must have the most ingenious little squirrels in my yard
They pull the feeder close and stick their little tongues over the bottom to get seed
I laugh because sometimes it looks like the Romanian Tumblers
performing at my window
One funny little fellow even got the top open and kept bouncing the lid on his head just
high enough to get the food out to eat before the lid would shut...hilarious!
So I threw out peanuts for the squirrels to keep them happy and away from the birds
I thought I had a great solution until oneday I saw the itty-est bitty-est of the birds, the
little chickadees carrying off the nuts in their tiny little beaks...
Anyway, it was like a Cinderella fairytale in my backyard...
Sounds of singing, my little feeder filled to the brim everyday....
And then one day IT happened...
and We were all caught off guard!
It was late one afternoon when I heard this frenzy of screaming birds
I looked toward the window and saw birds flying in every direction
feathers flying everywhere
I went over to look out to see if it was the stray cat strolling the area again
When I didn't see the cat I banged on the window...
To my horror a hawk came running out of the bush,
when he turned his head and glared at me a chill went up my spine...
I was shocked...I live in the suburbs...what's up with this...
first, foxes, then geese, guinea hens, deer, then coyotes! and now hawks!
to my horror...truly, they are a fearful foe with 200 lbs of strength per clawed foot
Almost everyday the hawk comes back and sits on the branch at my window...
Vigilant is he, looking over my property, like the secret service men in the movies
Surveying the land for food...so I bang on the window loud and long...
Sounding the alarm... sending the enemy to flight...
I haven't needed to fill the bird feeder but once a week or less since this 1st happened
I miss the constant fellowship of my little chirping choir
And the amazing beauty in their fine feathered fashions
Whenthey do come for food
I notice that they seem to be more vigilant...
They quickly take their food and look around, constantly looking around...
They no longer linger like they use to,
no longer gather in large groups, no more singing their antiphonal rounds
They seem to know who their enemy is,
with his eyes sharp & focused; always moving swiftly in his flight...
Although at the first sight they were freaking, (and so was I) it was after all life or death...
Now they seem to be more in balance, more watchful, more on guard, more diligent...
as if they know that this is the way of all life...
(it certainly was a wake up call...)
Day after day they are coming back, but more often then not, so does that hawk...
Interesting to observe, the birds all seem to know that birds of prey, are birds of prey...
this is the nature of the hawk...it is a predator...
Peter talks to us about an enemy that we all must deal with too...
our enemy is Satan...
the Father of Lies...
He too is always looking for prey,
always preying on those who are unaware, detached or in sin...
He is a predator
"Be well balanced (temperate, sober o<SPANclass=correction id="">f</SPANclass=correction> mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [a predator in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset--rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined]" 1Peter 5:1-9
I pray that we too will learn from His Word and wage a good warfare...
that we will be vigilant, well balanced, keeping our souls by keeping our minds...
May we be even be wiser then my most wise feathered friends,
May we learn from the past,
from the strategies and attacks of the enemy,
from the lives of those who have fallen round about us...
May we look circumspectly...and discern
where we might have let the enemy in,
where we have let our guard down,
repent and ask for forgiveness...
break agreement and shut the doors...
Let us learn from former mistakes and grow forward in faith to believe His Word...
May we learn and trust that Our God is faithful and watches over His Word
to perform all that it is sent to do...
May we, like saints of old, boldly proclaim our protector, Jesus to others...
for He is "the one who existed from the beginning...He is the Word of life..." 1John1
though 10,000 are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
Just open your eyes..."
He is always there..." Psalm 91:7-8
thank You Lord for teaching us truth through the birds of the air
who You have created ~selah
