Owl Under Siege

Read: Lamentations 3:25-26; Romans 5:1-5

Hudson cast his line into the water. The bait landed with a small plop. On the other end of the boat, his grandfather quietly held his fishing pole. All was silent except for the sound of crickets chirping.

Suddenly, a loud squawk split the misty air. The sound came again, and Grandpa pointed across the bayou to an owl perched on the top branch of a tall tree. A large crow circled him, squawking.

“What’s that crow’s problem?” asked Hudson.

Grandpa shrugged. “The owl might be sitting too close to the crow’s nest. Or maybe the crow is just pestering the owl and keeping him from sleeping. Crows do that kind of thing sometimes.”

Hudson watched as the black bird swooped again and again, its harsh cries filling the swamp. Only the owl’s head moved as it turned to watch the crow. “I wish that crow would go away,” he said. “Can it hurt the owl?”

Grandpa shook his head. “Not likely. God gave owls what they need to protect themselves—strong wings and sharp talons. If the crow gets too close, he’ll be in trouble, and he knows it. See how he stays at a safe distance?”

“Yeah, but if I were the owl, I’d fight or fly away,” said Hudson.

Grandpa chuckled. “Maybe the owl knows the crow will get tired and go away after a while.” He pulled up his line and cast it out again. “You know, we could learn a lesson from that owl. Instead of getting flustered and upset when things happen that trouble us, we can quietly look to Jesus and trust Him. We can ask Him to show us if there’s something we should do to change the situation or if we just need to patiently wait for Him to work things out.”

“Because Jesus promises to work everything out for good, right?” said Hudson.

Grandpa nodded. “He died and rose again to save us, and that means we can trust Him. Even when our problems don’t go away, He’s still with us, and He promises to come again one day and end all our troubles forever.”

Hudson turned his attention back to his fishing line. A little later, he realized it was quiet again. “Hey, Grandpa,” he said with a smile, “the crow is gone!”

–Debra W. Smith

How about you? Are you troubled by something happening in your life or in the world? Life can be scary and hard at times, but you can rest knowing that God is in control of every situation. Trust Jesus to help you act wisely and show others His love in times of trouble. Remember that He is with you even in the hardest situations and trust Him to give you peace.

Today’s key verse: Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Psalm 37:7 (NKJV)

Today’s key thought: Be patient and trust Jesus