Each afternoon I let my chickens out of the pen to ‘free-range’ for several hours. Last night my little bantam rooster didn’t return to the pen at dark (most unusual) and I couldn’t find him anywhere. I looked in trees high and low but he was nowhere to be found. Getting him in the pen at night is important because when chickens go to sleep, they are like dead birds. You can pick them up or really do anything to them when they are asleep. That’s why being enclosed in a safe place at night is so important. Predators can easily kill a chicken at night. Normally their instinct returns them to their ‘safe place’ when it begins to get dark. So I was concerned for my little banty rooster last night.
However, I woke early this morning to him crowing in the back yard so out I went to try to catch him and help him back into the pen with his ‘girls’ and safety. Nevertheless, he would have nothing to do with my rescue attempts.
As I tried all the tricks I knew to catch him, tempt him back in the pen, and even throw a towel over him to ‘catch’ him, he managed to escape each time. I kept thinking (and saying), “I’m only trying to help you little bird” and suddenly I had an ‘ah-ha’ moment from the Lord…you know, when He kind of hits you over the head with a Truth you’ve been missing (or ignoring!).
How many times is He trying to rescue US from danger and bring us back into a safe place and we resist all his efforts. We run away, we hide, we strut, we even crow loudly in disapproval…..all while He is simply trying to help us. I know I have done this and I know I still do it at times.
However, His plans for us are always the best if we’ll just stay still long enough to let him help!
2 Samuel 22:20 NIV84 He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
Spacious can also be translated ‘free from oppression and enemies’ (Word Study Dictionary #4800). And did you know that exact verse is in the Bible more than once? That tells me this is a pretty important Truth. After all, how many verses are exactly the same in two different books of the Bible?
Psalms 18:19 NIV84 He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
I love that He rescues me because He delights in me!!!
The Bible also says,
Psalms 31:8 NIV84 You have not given me into the hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.
This is what I was trying to do for the little banty rooster….rescue him from the ‘hands of the enemy’!! 🙂
I believe He has a spacious and safe place for all of us who ‘call upon the Name of the Lord’. But too often we become comfortable in our status quo and really don’t believe He IS trying to rescue us and bring us to a place of safety and fulfillment. We’re not even sure we need rescuing! (This was certainly the case with my rooster.)
All of us need rescuing in some area of our lives and I believe He’s waiting for each of us to come ‘sit with Him awhile’ so He can share His heart concerning our needs. Are you running from Him today? Stop. Slow down. Let the Comforter minister to you. And remember this verse too….
Psalms 118:5 When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; he brought me into a spacious place.
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