As the Deer Pants for Streams of Water

Isn't this doe captivating?  I have been awed by her beauty ever since my brother sent me this photo he took of her.  When I think she might not even be alive anymore because of the hunting season, my heart breaks.

I can just imagine her run and leap as she flees from the hunters.  Her sides heave and her nostrils quiver.  Her open mouth pants with thirst.  Will her enemy ever stop seeking her?  Where can she get a drink to revive her?

I know it's silly, but I can't help but cringe for the deer out there.  Someone once asked me, "Are you a vegetarian?"  Well, no, but still...

"You eat meat, don't you?" he asked. Yes, but somehow eating hamburger or chicken seems different. 

I try to reason with myself that not every hunter is out for the sport of killing these beautiful creatures.  Many do use the meat.  My son even assures me that he aims for immediate death so the deer won't suffer.

It is true that deer do overpopulate some areas, and there is not enough plant growth for all of them during harsh winters.  Starvation is a slow, painful death.  I will also admit they do become a hazard to drivers, and there is no way I would choose a deer's life over a human life. 

So I go back and forth in my mind.  I feel like such a hypocrite, because I have tried eating deer meat.  It's not my favorite, but I do find little pieces of it wrapped in bacon and grilled are tasty. 

But still, something cringes in my heart every time I hear another deer is down.  Even when I see one along the roadside, I can't help but say, "Poor deer." 

Perhaps I feel such a connection with deer because I envy their state of being wild and free, just out there doing what God intended for them.  Or maybe it's because I can identify with Psalm 42, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God."

Sometimes spiritually and emotionally, enemies from the past relentlessly pursue us, and we become so weary that we can't go on anymore.  We become lost and can't find the fountain that will quench our thirst and revive our souls for this journey on earth. 

Dear reader, is this you?  Please come.  Come to the bottomless Fountain of hope!

Shelter for the Sparrow and Shelter for You and Me

I snapped these pictures through the window of my office.  Brrrr!  Baths on a cold day?  I wish I had that downy underlay on my skin to help me survive the cold of the winter.

The second picture is one I took today.  The water in that birdbath was frozen this morning.  As you can see, it has warmed up enough to thaw out, but it's still only in the 40s.  Believe it or not, there was a sparrow that still ventured taking a bath in it.  He didn't stay in long, however, and his friends weren't too keen on joining him.   

I have often heard these little creatures called "dumb, ugly birds," but just look at them.  Notice their fine markings and the fluffy, protective layer they build up under their feathers.  God equips each one for the cold winter ahead.  Not one is forgotten. 

As it gets colder the sparrows find shelter between the evergreen branches or under plants that are not yet cut off.  As I watched them yesterday morning, a Psalm came to mind:

"Beneath Thy care the sparrow finds place for peaceful rest,

To keep her young in safety, the swallow finds a nest,

Then LORD, my King Almighty, Thy love will shelter me,

Beneath Thy holy altar, my dwelling place shall be."

The same Almighty God Who shelters such a little creature will surely shelter me from all the bitter, cold onslaughts of sin.  The same God Who gives the sparrow a protective layer will give me the Shield of faith to fend off the wiles of Satan.

Reader, that same God Who cares for every creature, no matter what they look like or what they can or cannot do, cares for you, too.  I pray that today you will find refuge in the safety of His love.

Lord, Save Me!

Matthew 14

One of my favorite Bible passages is when Jesus walked on water to the disciples in the boat and Peter said, "Lord, if it's You, tell me to come to You on the water." 

Jesus said, "Come."  Peter did walk on the water until he lost sight of Jesus.  When he looked around and saw the boisterous waves swirling around him, he began to sink.

"Lord, save me!"  Peter cried as the sea threatened to swallow him and fear and desperation choked him. 

Did Jesus let him drown?  No, Jesus immediately reached out His hand and caught Peter.  Amazing love and faithfulness!

I can almost imagine the sorrow in Jesus' eyes as He said, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"

I, too, am of such little faith.  As I look back on my life, there were so many times when wave after wave crashed over me and the undercurrent of doubt and despair sucked me under.  There were even times when I wanted to just give up.  Not even God cared, I thought.  I once was so near to swallowing a full bottle of aspirin.  Several times I was sorely tempted to drive my car off a cliff. 

It's a miracle that I didn't take my life.  Relief from my troubles and despair didn't always come immediately, but in hindsight I see how God's grace did spare me again and again.

Jesus is available 24/7 to lend a helping hand.  It was my focus that was off.  I concentrated on the storm raging within me instead of looking to Jesus and His power to save.

Reader, if you are in despair for some reason or another, take heart.  There is nothing too impossible for God.  I pray that Jesus will again and again open our eyes to His hand reaching out and our ears to His invitation, "Come to Me, my precious child.  I will be with you no matter how dark the valley.  I will never leave you or forsake you."