The herald sounded out from the bridge just after dawn. I knew, immediately, what it was. The geese call out every day, their loud honk penetrating many silent mornings, but this was different. It was…joyous and, maybe, a warning to any would-be predator.

A couple of hours later, I stepped outside and my hunch was confirmed. The eggs had hatched. Six little goslings–cute, clumsy fuzzballs–twittered about in the grass around their mother near the water’s edge. A few feet away stood their father. He seemed a little taller now. Watchful. Protective. Prepared to act should any danger come near.

His call had rung loud and clear. But the call wasn’t to the goslings. It was to the world. It was the call of a creature whose purpose was suddenly magnified. Not only did he have a mate to defend, now he had a family.

In the Old Testament, God used Israel as a template, a womb within which he worked to shape a people formed by paganism and train them, one step at a time, to learn new ways to think. Better ways to live. He taught them, through a series of feasts and festivals, to watch and wait for the promised Messiah because he would appear to them first. The Law was their gatekeeper, put in place to preserve and protect a chosen people who needed to see everything through a different lens if they were going to recognize the Savior when He came.

God’s protection was upon them, but they always had the choice to step out from under it and, when they did, disaster always struck.

***

A few years ago, our mama goose hatched a handful of goslings. At first everything went well, but a week or so later we realized one was missing. Somehow, the gosling had been snatched away. Knowing our neck of the woods, the thief was likely a hawk. Hawks are cunning and swift. They perch high in the trees watching for a vulnerable small animal then swoop down so fast they are gone before anyone realizes the animal is missing. I tried not to imagine the fear the little one had as it was snatched away, but sometimes it haunted me.

***

I rarely watch the news any more. The headlines are, almost always, only negative and sickeningly celebratory of the most heinous crimes. Murder, rape, abuse, and war are announced with a wink-wink, an “isn’t this awful and don’t you want to keep watching” cadence that sickens me. They want to create fear so we will fixate on the screen.

There are plenty of reasons to be afraid. Predators are everywhere and, like the hawk, only out for themselves. Their goal is to satiate their hunger. To multiply. To rule. The most vulnerable and innocent are the first to fall because evil watches for, then attacks, the weak first. Evil is devoid of justice or love. In a harsh and heartless world, the innocent always suffer at the hands of the powerful.

For those with power, the idea of resting safely beneath the wings of a loving God sounds like weakness or childish dependence in a world that demands crushing ambition and applauds the lust for more. Ancient Israel was the prime example. The cycle of rebellion, repentance, and restoration has been on an endless loop since the beginning of time.

But God isn’t just a supreme being who is in charge. He is not power-hungry or ego-driven. He doesn’t need money or houses, weapons or oil. He is a father, and a good one, at that. And he always takes care of his kids, if we will let him.

But who is letting him, these days?

I have been watching as many Christians who claim to follow a God of love dig in their heels in support of war. They want power and control even if it comes at the expense of those who cannot defend themselves. But attempts to justify violence and aggression fall flat as the narrative continuously shifts. What is the truth? I don’t know, but we are we firing bombs into cities, bombs that kill children. Are we okay with being responsible for “collateral damage?” Is this just “the realities of war?”

You wouldn’t feel that way if a missile landed on your house and killed your napping toddler.

Look, I’m not a pacifist. If an attacker invaded my home and intended to harm my children, you bet I would support my husband using his strength to defend them. But this is not what is happening. Regardless of what news outlets and celebrity pastors proclaim, the motives of our government are not righteous. I don’t believe for a second that this war is sanctioned by God. We all know leaders and reporters lie. They don’t really care about us. It is all smoke and mirrors. Whether liberal or conservative, they have one thing in common: a lust for money, power, and control. Just like the ancient kings who believed they could circumvent God, today’s leaders will do whatever it takes to maintain their positions of authority. And, to make things worse, many people who claim to be followers of Christ stand beside them, cheering them on and smiling for the cameras. Their cold hearts beat in the shadows of a corrupt system promoting an unholy war.

But our battle has never been against flesh and blood (Eph. 6:12). There are dark powers behind all of this, principalities pulling puppet strings with no regard for who gets hurt as long as they gain control. In their world, it is us vs. them, and whoever they are will always be othered.

Dehumanized.

Devalued.

Under their rule, those who can’t defend themselves will be snatched up in the claws of predators and destroyed.

Just look at American history. People came from another country and decided God had given them this land. Never mind the millions of humans who already lived here. “They” were not Christians or white, therefore “they” were savages. The natives were seen as ignorant, uneducated obstacles to what the Europeans believed was rightfully theirs. “We are God’s chosen ones, after all,” was the narrative. So, to help God along in what they believed was his plan to hand the land over to them, they killed the natives, enslaved them, misused scripture to justify oppression, offered fiery sermons to rile up the masses, and committed atrocities I cannot bear to describe here.

Sound familiar?

Our elected officials and spiritual leaders all over the country are making promises they know they can’t keep. They are lying to us. They are in bed with wicked forces and profiting from it, saying what they think the people want to hear to gain support for a godless war. But we have a choice. We have the ability to come out from under their dark shadow. We have a good Father who stands with his wings spread wide, offering refuge to all who seek it.

Beneath the shadow of God’s wing, where death and war cannot exist, where the image of God is not buried under rubble and downplayed by deceptive headlines, we can find refuge from the lies and think clearly. When we choose to silence the chaos, we are able to remember the truth of God’s nature as revealed in his son. We must always remember Jesus came to set things straight, to show the true nature of God (John 1:18). Everything about Jesus was and is countercultural. We may tend to “other” people who don’t believe or think like us, but that is not the way of Christ. He welcomed everyone, no matter who they were or what they had done. Did he get angry? Sure, but his anger was never aimed at sinners, the poor, the sick, women, or children. In fact it was always directed at the religious leaders who used their spiritual and societal positions to oppress the weak.

Scripture says we are God’s children and the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 95:7). Sheep, by nature, are weak and vulnerable. They don’t start wars, but are often the victims of them. They cannot protect themselves, so they must rely on the shepherd to keep them safe (John 10:11-16 & 27-30).

Enter Jesus. He is the good shepherd who stands at the entrance of the sheepfold, guarding his flock from predators, laying down his life to save them. His life, death, and resurrection was God’s herald, shouted throughout space and time to the powers of darkness. It is finished. I have defeated the power of sin. Behold, humanity…my family. I am theirs and they are mine. Stay away. I will fight for them (1 Tim. 4:10 & 2 Chron. 20:17).

We have a very real enemy, but we also have a risen Savior who conquered sin and death. How does this knowledge affect us? Do we continue to hate, fight, rant, and curse in Jesus’ name? Do we stubbornly turn our backs on his call to live a sober and quiet life (1 Thess. 4:11), screaming and stomping like toddlers having a tantrum? Do we run into the storm, believing we will find God in the noise? The prophet, Elijah, would tell you…absolutely not.

God is not in the storm. He is in the whisper. (1 Kings 19:11-13)

Choose your shadow carefully.

Just because someone is loud doesn’t mean they are telling the truth. In fact, I believe high volume generally equates a high level of deception.

But that is just my opinion.

***

This morning, the pond sparkled as the sun rose. Diamonds danced across its surface as a gentle breeze pirouetted through the long, supple branches of the weeping willow. Near the water’s edge, the goslings nestled between the legs of their mother as she fluffed out her feathers to form a canopy over them. They soon settled onto the cool, damp ground to rest, knowing they were safe. And their father stood near, watchful and proud.

***

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

Luke 13:34 (CSB)

Share

When is the last time you laughed from your belly until your sides hurt?

If laughter is good medicine, we would be smart to up our dose. Who has more reason to laugh with abandon that those who know, even in the midst of the loudest storm, they are safe in the hands of their Father?

The world is broken, but Jesus is making all things new. Sometimes the holiest thing we can do is have fun.

I grew up in the seventies and eighties, before cell phones changed the world and our brains. Our parents had no trackers or other ways of knowing where we were. A stranger could have snatched us out of the thick clusters of spiky cattails along the creek down the road and no one would have heard us scream for help. Sometimes we fell and got hurt, but continued playing with scraped knees unless there was blood trickling or gravel embedded. Sometimes neighborhood kids were mean, but we dealt with it on our own. We were free. Safe? Not necessarily. But definitely free.

It was a wonderful time to be a kid.

Last week it was peonies, this week the roses have started the show. My favorites are the beautiful, fragile, highly scented David Austin roses. Aren’t they stunning?

Podcast–BEMA podcast with Marty Solomon and Brent Billings. Incredible, well-researched and thoughtful Bible teaching from a Jewish perspective that will challenge you.

Movie-MICHAEL-I vividly remember when life revolved around school, friends, books, and music…especially the music of Michael Jackson! I was obsessed. In fact, I still have the original Thriller album that I got for my tenth birthday in 1982. The eighties, for me, were an age of innocence I wish I could recapture. The movie, Michael, somehow brought it back and I found myself thanking God for music and fun as I walked (danced!) out of that theater…twice! I even wore a black, sequined jacket and white glove because when it comes to MJ this girl isn’t playing!

But seriously—->GO SEE IT. It is incredible. I can’t wait for part two.

Song-My playlist has been Michael Jackson almost nonstop ever since seeing the movie. If I had to pick a favorite, I think it is currently “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough.” Total ear worm.

“Insight is not the same thing as integrity.”

~John Mark Comer on the Rule of Life Podcast by Practicing the Way (Tap the link to listen. SO GOOD)

Share