I will admit, sometimes I worry. To be more specific, I worry about the future. I worry about the safety of my family and being persecuted for our beliefs. It’s not so much about me but those that I love. I can handle whatever I have to deal with but I want my family to be protected.
Recently God has been speaking to me about prayer. Over the course of 3 or 4 days I must have seen the parable of the persistent widow found in the Gospel of Luke 6 or 7 times. Last week I talked to the students in our small group at church about the parable and then this week on the same day I randomly opened my Bible to the exact page 2 times and then a friend shared the parable with me. In the parable God illustrates that if we do not give up in prayer, He will eventually answer. But to receive we must ask. I have been asking that He take away my fear and that He protect our family.
Yesterday found me hunting from the same tree that I was in when I shot two deer a few weeks ago. For those that didn’t read the blog, “God is in all the details,” I met a squirrel face to face that day while hunting. Shortly after our close encounter, the squirrel was walking across the forest floor when a hawk shot down from the trees in an attempt to catch the squirrel but the hawk missed. My friend lived to see another day.
Guess who came to visit me yesterday? You guessed it, my squirrel friend was back. This time he kept his distance as he scurried up a tree about 15 feet from the one I was in. He didn’t stop climbing until he was eye level with me then he climbed out on a limb towards me for a better look. We then had a stare down for a minute or two. “Thank you for sending my friend back to me,” I silently said to God.
When the squirrel was done saying hello, he climbed down the tree and worked his way across the freshly fallen leaves on the ground. I looked away for a second and then from the corner of my eye I saw a flash of motion. I then heard a loud crashing noise that startled me so bad that I jumped a bit in my seat. I looked to my right to see a hawk sprawled out on the ground with his wings still spanned out. He must have knocked himself silly trying to get my friend because he just stayed there like he was in a daze. After about 30 seconds he gathered himself and flew off. A few minutes later my friend came out of hiding and climbed back up a tree next to me and remained there at eye level for the next 15 minutes or so doing all kinds of talking like he was full of joy because he lived to see another day.
Recently God has been speaking to me about prayer. Over the course of 3 or 4 days I must have seen the parable of the persistent widow found in the Gospel of Luke 6 or 7 times. Last week I talked to the students in our small group at church about the parable and then this week on the same day I randomly opened my Bible to the exact page 2 times and then a friend shared the parable with me. In the parable God illustrates that if we do not give up in prayer, He will eventually answer. But to receive we must ask. I have been asking that He take away my fear and that He protect our family.
Yesterday found me hunting from the same tree that I was in when I shot two deer a few weeks ago. For those that didn’t read the blog, “God is in all the details,” I met a squirrel face to face that day while hunting. Shortly after our close encounter, the squirrel was walking across the forest floor when a hawk shot down from the trees in an attempt to catch the squirrel but the hawk missed. My friend lived to see another day.
Guess who came to visit me yesterday? You guessed it, my squirrel friend was back. This time he kept his distance as he scurried up a tree about 15 feet from the one I was in. He didn’t stop climbing until he was eye level with me then he climbed out on a limb towards me for a better look. We then had a stare down for a minute or two. “Thank you for sending my friend back to me,” I silently said to God.
When the squirrel was done saying hello, he climbed down the tree and worked his way across the freshly fallen leaves on the ground. I looked away for a second and then from the corner of my eye I saw a flash of motion. I then heard a loud crashing noise that startled me so bad that I jumped a bit in my seat. I looked to my right to see a hawk sprawled out on the ground with his wings still spanned out. He must have knocked himself silly trying to get my friend because he just stayed there like he was in a daze. After about 30 seconds he gathered himself and flew off. A few minutes later my friend came out of hiding and climbed back up a tree next to me and remained there at eye level for the next 15 minutes or so doing all kinds of talking like he was full of joy because he lived to see another day.
MY FRIEND THE SQUIRREL AS HE CELEBRATED WITH ME LAST NIGHT.
I sat in my tree amazed at what I got to see. I thanked God for the opportunity not really knowing why He had allowed me to see that same scenario play out again. This morning while in prayer it all became clear. I wasn’t thinking about hunting or the night before when all of the sudden I knew deep within me what God was trying to show me. The squirrel represented those closest to me or my family. The hawk represented the evil one trying to snatch them away from me. The squirrel seemed very vulnerable and should have been eaten but instead he was kept safe and the hawk received a blow. After we withstand an attack and we will be attacked, the evil one will leave and we will come out to sing from the trees once again.
Psalm 91 “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
Psalm 91 “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
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