Photo Credit: Pixabay
Something happens every Spring by the lake that doesn’t happen any other time of the year – new life, new flowers, new leaves, and, the most exciting of all, the new babies. It’s like nature knows, without being told, that it’s time to come to life. At dusk, a fox and her kits can be seen getting their last drink of water from the shallow inlet before heading up the hill to their den. Foxy mama is a kind and patient teacher. Another night a group of nine deer peacefully graze around the nearby apple trees; half of them babies. The doe’s and bucks watch over them anxiously while getting a bite or two, nudging them here and there, and then the one on group watch sounds an alert and off they run to the protection of the woods. It’s like a sacred knowing watching team work at its finest as the adults ran to position the babies in the middle of the herd. They just KNOW how to come together in order to get to safety.
I have to say, though, the most entertaining to watch are the geese and their goslings. Between the honking sounds in various pitches, running with their heads down to correct a runaway gosling, and the strutting for position in the line, they are loud, give lots of orders, and teach formation at a very young age (it must carry over into the flying lessons). The little goslings are like fluff balls waddling through the tall grass trying to find their way, get their strength, learn how to find food and walk in a straight line. Mama and Papa are always frantically and tirelessly teaching those lessons. And, of course, there’s always the rogue gosling in the flock that won’t keep up, always runs off in the wrong direction, or gets stuck somewhere it shouldn’t have gone. They tend to travel the shoreline and sleep at night in a flock of two or more families, helping each other keep up, looking out for danger, finding food. They are always very busy. I bet they ALL sleep good at night. But even then, in the heavy dark of night, a honking cry goes up when danger lurks too near and they all rise to give a peace of their mind and protect their young. Together, they survive.
This year in particular I marvel over these new lives as they are oblivious to the restraints of “no gathering” for the human population. They go on about their business, living, and surviving no worse for not knowing. Thing is, they all need each other working closely together in a team effort to eat good, look after each other’s babies, and, well, to just survive another day.
So, how are we humans doing from our lack of closeness, inability to gather together, no hugging, or shaking hands? ALone and Afraid comes to mind. It’s apparent we’ve struggled as we are anxious to get back to restaurants, work, church, salons, and gyms = to gather together with our familiar faces in our familiar places. However, the Lord gave me another lesson to be learned today, and that is to watch for the ones new to their faith, those struggling in their walk with Christ in a mean, cold world, those who feel too shamed by their past to think God could even look at them much less love them. It is a real struggle to maintain or even know how to walk in faith daily when you’re new at it, tired of trying to figure it out, or straddling the fence on what you believe is true. So, when you see someone you don’t know the next time you are able to enter through the doors of church, stop and talk to him/her before you look for your friends. If you see someone sitting alone invite them to sit with your family. When you sense someone is hurting take her/him by the hand and pray over them, talk to them, or just stop a moment to listen to them. If we didn’t know before, we certainly now know firsthand how isolation feels. It’s depressive, unnatural, and lonely. Like the fox, deer, geese, and all other animals, we need each other. It’s time to pay attention to what’s going on around us. When we gather together let’s do it in the name of unconditional Love watching out for the alone, the lost, the prodigals, the fence sitters, the unsure, those feeling unworthy, the unfriended, the ones seeking something but don’t know what it is nor where to look, those who’ve given up on their faith, and not gravitate back to our little world of self seeking entertainment couched under the name of worship, relaxation, work, or a busy life.
“This is how everyone will recognize that you are my (Jesus) disciples – when they see the love you have for each other.” John 13:35 (MSG)
Watch for Who can you Gather to the Lord today?