Good morning…
Yesterday I met up with a friend for a walk-and-talk early, before the high heat of the day set in like soup. She happened to be nannying for a baby, pushing the cute redhead in a stroller. Our usual weekly routine includes walking through the entrance to the horse farm on Polo Lane, but this day our regular habit was interrupted by the closed front gate. With no ability to slip through the thin walk-in openings, we decided to go up to the secondary, more private entrance to see if we could fit the stroller in that way. Never, ever before have we entered the horse farm this way.
We walked up the street, in a way we never do, and about two houses up, we saw a hawk land in some nearby shrubs. Then we saw a strange thing. The hawk was flapping its wings, trying to fly away, but this beautiful creature seemed somehow stuck. As we looked closer, we saw that the hawk’s claws were caught in the netting surrounding the plants to keep deer away. The hawk was struggling, struggling, struggling trying to fly and was repeatedly pulled back to thud on the ground. Trying again and again and again to get free, we feared the scared bird would soon exhaust herself with her own powerless effort.
So, I stayed with our dog, the baby and the stroller, and my friend slowly went up to the hawk, gently trying to unhook it’s trapped claws. She said the frantic animal began to angrily hiss at her, but she was undeterred. Fortunately, it was a young adult bird with a smaller wingspan, so my friend was able to free this gorgeous creature, releasing her back into flight.
We stood there stunned. We both agreed we had been part of a God-moment. Never before had we walked this stretch of road together. How amazing, the hawk landed and got caught right before our eyes. I don’t know exactly what it means to have our steps guided by the Spirit, but God’s timing was impeccable. Placed in the right place at the right time, we were able to free this creature of God before she tired herself out and gave up her spirit.
I now wonder to myself, “What is the take-away from our holy, one-minute encounter?”
When the gate is closed to our normal, routine way, might we be more keenly aware of God’s fresh invitation flapping its wings right in front of us? On a new stretch of road, we may be just where God needs us most. We, ordinary people, freed a helpless hawk on our weekly walk-and-talk. With awe and wonder, we were filled with deep gratitude and unexpected joy.
Our experience begs the question, “Who, right in front of us today, might be stuck exhausting themselves with their own powerless effort?”
Might God use us, ordinary people – our encouraging word, our kind gesture, our heartfelt prayer – to free a vulnerable child of God trapped in a time of need? As the Spirit somehow guides our steps, we will find ourselves in the right place at the right time. After experiencing together a holy encounter, may we all be filled with deep gratitude and unexpected joy. These are the gifts of God for the people of God.
God is fair, and he will remember all the work you have done. He will remember that you showed your love to him by helping his people (and his vulnerable creatures) and that you continue to help them (Hebrews 6:10, ERV).
…Sue…
