WALKING WITH A BIG STICK...

This summer I had to add a piece of equipment to my morning walks:  A BIG STICK.  Actually, it was a trekking pole.  The KITE birds had gotten really aggressive in one area of our neighborhood and it shook me up.  The first time one came at me from behind I felt it swoosh by my ear - I was taken by surprise and was so scared!  Didn't help that I watched "The Birds" recently!  I shook my fist and hollered at it!  That didn't seem to help.  I tried a couple other tactics unsuccessfully and was so shook up by it that I started biking sometimes instead of walking.  Finally I started carrying the trekking pole and that seemed to work.  Other people in our neighborhood were doing the same!  Kinda crazy...

 But what I noticed during all this was how it affected me.  What used to be a great way to start my day, thinking, praying, meditating became a stressful time, watching, looking over my shoulder, and listening for birds, ready to put up my defense.  Pretty sure you could say I was paranoid.  But I could no longer enjoy the time or see the beauty around me.  I started thinking about David and the Psalms.  He poured his life out to God in praise and despair.  He wrote some of these when he was in danger from the pursuit of Saul and his army.  I doubt he relaxed much, always looking over his shoulder.  But somehow, he was so in touch with God that he could always talk to God.  He had such a deep faith.

91 He who dwells in athe shelter of the Most High

will abide in bthe shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say1 to the Lord, “My crefuge and my dfortress,

my God, in whom I etrust.”

3 For he will deliver you from fthe snare of the fowler

and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will gcover you with his pinions,

and under his hwings you will ifind refuge;

his jfaithfulness is ka shield and buckler.

5 lYou will not fear mthe terror of the night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

8 You will only look with your eyes

and nsee the recompense of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord your odwelling place—

the Most High, who is my crefuge2—

10 pno evil shall be allowed to befall you,

qno plague come near your tent.

11 rFor he will command his sangels concerning you

to tguard you in all your ways.

12 On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you ustrike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread on vthe lion and the wadder;

the young lion and xthe serpent you will ytrample underfoot.

14 “Because he zholds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;

I will protect him, because he aknows my name.

15 When he bcalls to me, I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will rescue him and chonor him.

16 With dlong life I will satisfy him

and eshow him my salvation.”

Thankfully the Kites have headed south.  Or maybe their babies are grown and they no longer have to protect their nests. I can now walk in peace again.  My fear was so small in comparison to David's, but I hadn't experienced physical fear in so long.   It was a good lesson for me.  How about you and your heart?  Are you walking around with a big stick or enjoying the peace of His presence?