Don't Fly from God!

During the conference at Manly, we bought fish and chips and ate on the Corso.  The sea gulls in that region are amazingly well trained.  When the birds notice people carrying the white bags, they congregate with squawks in great numbers.  If someday you decide to sit on the concrete steps facing the surf, be warned that these birds will come up behind you and hover close over your shoulder until the second you lift the delicious chip to your mouth.  Swiftly they will swoop and snatch the chip from the hand.  I discovered that sitting at picnic tables with a person facing each other afforded protection from such thievery.  I'm sure there's a sermon in there somewhere.  True accountability is when we "have each other's backs" by remaining face to face with open communication, looking out for one another motivated by love.  But I digress!

While a group of us carefully ate our dinner, I noticed a sea gull whose legs were tangled with a length of black thread.  The bird was able to stand on one foot and fly, but was clearly hobbled.  The lack of the use of his bound leg would no doubt lead to atrophy or potential infection.  Someone suggested we attempt to catch the bird to free it from the cord which bound its legs together.  Being a wild bird, however, there was no way this bird could ignore its instincts to flee and trust that our intentions were simply to free it.  Whenever we came within six feet, it would fly away.  It was sad to see the bird in that condition, and harder still not to be able to do anything about it.

When people are hurt by life experiences, they can respond in a similar manner to the bird.  Perhaps they had once in their pain trusted well-meaning people to help them and were only injured more deeply.  That bird relied on its wings for safety, but they were powerless to free and heal.  As human beings we can build walls to insulate and protect ourselves from future hurt emotionally.  But in doing so we can deny loving people and even the healing power of God from restoring our joy, strength, and trust.  It is very sad when hurting people withdraw from the saving power of God because they don't trust Him.  Afraid that they will only be hurt worse or humiliated for their trouble they flit away, legs still bound with that dark thread.

Much more than we wanted to help that hurting bird, God desires to heal the hurting, hopeless, and helpless.  God allowed His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for the sins of the world who knew no sin, and made Him to be sin for us.  God's heart of compassion yearned to free Jesus from the weight of the sin of the world on the cross, but He knew the salvation that would be wrought by grace through faith in Christ's shed blood.  John 1:12 reads, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name...".  Jesus was willing to be bound to that cross, pierced with nails and thorns, being the perfect Lamb of God without blemish or spot.  What comfort we have in knowing Jesus has risen from the dead, the Good Shepherd, who anoints and heals us by His grace.  We must choose to submit to His healing touch.

I close with words which were not intended to be limited to memorial services, the words of David in Psalm 23:1-6:  "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. ² He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. ³ He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. ⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. ⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. ⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."  Trust God and never fly from His goodness and mercy!