A Baby Fawn

          Some experiences happen on a regular basis. Though they are special, we tend to grow accustomed to them, and forget their significance. On the other hand, some events happen only once and will likely never happen again. This is the kind of even that happened today.

   

         A deer was hanging out in our yard this morning. This part is not uncommon at all. This deer, however, would not leave.  The dogs would chase her, and she would simply circle around and come back to the same area. Since this is very uncommon, I decided to investigate. What I found, genuinely surprised me, because in the freshly cut area, in a small patch of shade was a newborn, clean, but still very tired from the birthing experience. Since the dogs knew where the fawn was, something needed to happen if the baby was going to live.

   

         I wasn't even sure it it was alive since there was not movement. When I reached out to feel the soft warm skin of this brand new baby, the fawn jerked and drew in a deep breath. Placing my arms around the helpless creature, I picked it up, and carried it to a grove of trees in hopes that mom, who watched my every move, would take over the care of her baby. Though the deer eat our plants, and make messes on the grass, holding this newborn changed my attitude about them.

            As I held this new, soon to be wild, animal in my arms, I thought about how carefully God handles us. We make messes of his creation, and tear up the flowers and trees to erect ugly concrete structures. We live sinful lives following after our own desires. Yet, when we are in a dangerous place, unable to save ourselves, our God gently lifts us up and takes us to a better place. The Bible says, “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God” (Psalm 42:1 NLT). Two hundred yards from where this tiny fawn now rests is a small lake. I am sure mother was trying to reach that place before giving birth. Soon, this little baby will long for the cool, fresh water.  May I never forget my need for God.

        I don’t know what the final outcome will be for this tiny spotted creature. I hope the mother, who was confused by what was happening, will understand what I have done. For now, I must watch from a distance.

    

Learning From the Birds

            There is an amazing event that takes place every June in the Denver area. The barn swallows come out by the thousands. They divide up into smaller groups, with each group locating themselves around major intersections. At each intersection, the birds swoop and dive, barely missing cars, sometimes touching the ground, and sometimes actually touching cars as they fly by. What they do is pure artistry, like a ballet that takes place all day long. 

            What is the point of the invasion of the birds? Well, there is another phenomenon that takes place at the same time. The month of June brings a brown moth that is harder to see, but present nonetheless.  They enter houses and irritate families when they swarm around lights and windows.

            What do the two events have to do with each other? The answer is fascinating. Cars driving on the roads collide with the flying moths, sometimes on the windshield, and others in the grill area. When the vehicles approach the intersection, they slow, and eventually stop for the light. This allows the moths to fall off of the vehicle and on to the ground. When that happens the birds take advantage of the vehicle’s work and enjoy a great meal.

            Birds know something that we should understand and apply to our own lives. They put themselves in the place of greatest opportunity. They swarm at the intersections with the most cars, because that is the place where the most bugs will be found.

            Are you putting yourself in the place of greatest opportunity? Are you gravitating to the location

where you receive the most blessings? The Bible identifies that intersection as the place of prayer. God wants us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). It is like gathering at the biggest intersection knowing that all trials, needs, and decisions travel through that intersection. All blessings pass through the intersection of prayer. Are you in that place?

Lost Inhibitions

            Getting lost in the fantasy world of musicals has always been a source of relaxation and enjoyment.  While coasting through theater announcements I was thrilled to discover that Mary Poppins, the musical was coming to our city. In the world of Mary Poppins, being a chimney sweep, or a nanny becoming desirable careers, and a spoon full of sugar makes everything better. We booked tickets as close to the stage as we could and waited for the day when we could learn more about those 19 consonants and 19 vowels placed together in one crazy word.

            When the day arrived, we settled into our seats and enjoyed every minute of the performance.  At the conclusion of the play, everybody cheered with joyous applause as the cast took their bows. The play concluded with one more rendition of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. As the song began, a little girl, of no more than three years, could hold herself back no longer.  She pushed her way into the isle, where she sang and dance to the best of her ability. Though the cast was singing their swan song, hundreds of eyes were on this precious little girl who could not contain her joy.

           As I watched this little girl, I forgot that I was at the theater, and my mind transitioned to my faith in Jesus.  The Bible tells us that Jesus is a source of great joy. He produced boldness in the apostles, vibrancy in the church, and the conviction that a spoon full of grace made everything better.  I thought about today’s perfectly choreographed church services, practiced and timed to the minute to insure that everything flows perfectly. But, God’s swan song should have us dancing in the isles with unbridled joy.  Jesus Christ has died for our sin, freed us from bondage, and offered us life with him in the glory of a city paved with streets of gold. He has given us a new name, a new family, and a new purpose. He has made us heirs, and priests.

           How can we be so casual about our faith when we have been given so much? Is it any wonder that Jesus took a child, like that little three year old girl, dancing in the isle, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).

            If you took this passage seriously, what would change in your behavior, your witness, and your faith? If we were so filled with joy that we could not contain ourselves, how would our world change? The world will not be won through casual observances by restrained believers. But, it will be won through people who cannot be silenced, people who say, “one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25). It was unbridled joy that caused the woman at the well to leave her pots, run back to her own city and proclaim, “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?” Oh, how we need to be like that woman today.

Learning to Swim

          For many years, I took students to Catalina Island for a week. The island, off the coast of California, has rich and amazing marine life. Many of the kids had never experienced a camping trip, bon fires, kayaking, snorkeling, or even being away from home.

            One year, as we prepared for our first snorkel, a female student nervously informed me that she did not want to go with us.  She gave me several excuses why she did not want to go, but none of her statements impressed me.  I was determined that she was going with us.

            She gave in to putting on a wetsuit, but the nervousness continued to rise. Finally the truth came out. “I can’t swim, and I am terrified of putting my face in the water. Please don’t make me go!” I assured her that I would be there with her. We could take a paddleboard, and I would not let go of her. “Please come with me.  You need to experience this.”

            The wetsuits kept us afloat. Without them both of us would likely have drowned.  She held on so tight that it was difficult swimming for both of us.  As we moved through the water, the student began to relax, but she maintained the resolve not to put her face in the water. 

            With constant reassurance, she finally agreed to place the glass portion of her mask into the water. When she did, my young student became giddy over the marine vegetation and the beautiful fish that were swimming just out of her grasp.  Orange, blue, and silver fish captured her attention until the once fearful student’s head was completely submerged in the ocean waters.  The beauty beneath the water was far better than the fear above the water. Discovery was more powerful than fear, so she let go of me, and began swimming around on her own.  After a while, reality set in and my young student discovered that she was swimming in the ocean, with her head under water, all on her own. She received a precious reward by exchanging fear and apprehension for discovery and joy.

            Evangelism is the process of helping people to move from fear to discovery. So many stand on the shore, waiting for someone to say, “Come with me. You will be safe. I promise that I will not let you go.” The fact is that people have no idea what lies just beneath the surface of faith because they refuse to put their face in the water. But once they are led into the waters of faith, a whole new world of discovery opens to them.  They are blessed, and are blessed to watch fear melt away so that faith can take its place. 

Spiritual Enthusiasm

            Our youngest daughter was about to deliver our sixth grandchild, so Kim and I headed out to spend time with the kids.  One evening the family sat down at the table for dinner.  Will, our grandson, decided that this was the point when he needed to go to the bathroom.

            The food was hot, and the plates were loaded.  Everybody was ready to pray for the evening meal, but our grandson was lingering in the other room.  Finally it was decided to pray without him. “Dear Jesus, thank you for this food,” began our Emily, or granddaughter, as she began to pray for our meal.  But that was all she could get out of her mouth before the prayer was interrupted.

            “Wait!” came the insistent voice from the little guy in the bathroom.  “I want to pray too.”  With that, our grandson re-emerged with a big grin on his face, as he returned to the table and grabbed hands with the nearest family member to his right and left.

            Wouldn’t it be great if every believer shared the same sense of enthusiasm to be a part of the prayer circle? Paul wrote, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving” Colossians 4:2). The clear encouragement of the New Testament is that pray should include thanksgiving as well as joy.  To the Philippian church, Paul wrote, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all” 

(Philippians 1:3-4).

            When was the last time you heard someone pray and wanted to yell, “wait, I want to pray too?” “Commit yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; Let Him rescues him, because He delights in him” (Psalm 22:8). Why should we rush to prayer? He wants to rescue you and be your deliverer. He delights in you and desires for you to be a part of his family. Grab hands with those on your right and your left. Take part in the joy of prayer.