If You Can't Fly, Just Rest in Him

It’s cooling down in our “neck of the woods”. That means I can once again leave window blinds open. It always feels cooler in the hot weather when it’s a little darker inside.  I love looking out on the back yard through the patio doors. Wildlife abounds in our neighborhood and the animals are stirring more as the temperature is becoming more tolerable. Birds are singing a little more and squirrels are scampering again.

One of the hard things about leaving the blinds open on the patio doors is that birds try to come into the house!  They don’t notice the glass, just the clear path they are traveling.  They’re oblivious to the danger ahead as they fly through the air.

Upon hearing a thud, we run to the door.  Sure enough there on the deck we see a bird laying there.  It appears totally lifeless, on its back, with its feet up in the air. Dead as a doorknob is the saying.  Not breathing, not moving, curled up, done for. Sometimes there are even feathers on the glass, a sure sign that the creature hit the glass way too hard.

It always amazes me. Most of the time if you watch long enough the bird will begin to right itself.  Sometimes it has to sit there for a good while.  Sometimes it rocks a little with its head lying back on its wing. Sometimes we dare to step out and see if it is truly going to be alright. We want to step in and make it right. We want to help. We’re met with the surprise of the little feathered friend taking flight and escaping to the rest of its life.

God speaks. How we are like that little bird. We fly through life, taking things in, enjoying the bounty of God’s goodness, having fun, doing all the things we were meant to do.  We rarely see the obstacle ahead. We fly instead headlong into it.  We are thrown to the ground.  We are flat on our backs. We are unable to speak, we can barely breathe. It has hurt! It was unexpected! We are undone.  Someone may have pulled the glass closed in front of us and we don’t think we are going to make it.

Except that God is with us. He didn’t come running to the glass when we hit – He was with us!  He is with us on the floor of our hurts, pain and rejection.  He is standing with us in our agony, in our suffering, in our mourning. He is gently hovering over us breathing His life renewing spirit into us. His hands are gently setting us aright. His heart is for us, His heart is with us and eventually His heart will renew us.

I know the hurts that can be experienced when life knocks the wind out of you. I’ve had it happen to me as well.  I know those hurts. But more importantly God knows them - each and every one of them.  He knew them before the foundation of the world.  He knew when you’d be knocked flat, He knew when you’d have a hard time breathing, He knew when you wouldn’t be able to stand on your own. He also knew, before the foundation of the world that you would fly again, soar with the eagles, sing with the warblers and live a full and wonderful life. 

Oh beloved, if you can’t fly, then just rest in Him. Lay your wearied head on His shoulder.  Ask Him to refresh your mind with His Word. He will bring you just the right Word at just the right time. You don’t even have to make it to Him – for He bends down to listen. If He knows the number of hairs on your head and He knows that not one sparrow falls to the ground without His knowledge, then He can surely revive you, redeem you, remold you and restore you. He is the God of Redemption, He is the Great I AM, and He is the Fixer of broken things, broken ministries, broken hearts and broken spirits.

This time of restoration is not wasted. No time spent in God’s presence is ever wasted. You may want to fly on to more ministry, other duties, different callings, but restoration time spent with Him is imperative to your revival. You may feel that you must be busy, doing and going, but God says rest in MY presence. For it is in MY presence that you will be restored and it will be to new heights, greater ministry and better fellowship with ME.

Oh how God loves you!  Oh how God cares for you! Rejoice today and begin to sing His praises right where you are! You are destined to live for His glory and that’s all that matters as you fly with Him all the way to heaven.

Lamentations 5:21 Restore us to You, O Lord, that we may be restored; Renew our days as of old…

Psalm 71:19-21 Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens.  You have done such wonderful things.  Who can compare with You, O God?  You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but You will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth.   You will restore me to even greater honor and comfort me once again.

Psalm 91:1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 71:23 I will shout for joy and sing Your praises, for You have ransomed me.

Psalm 103:1,4,5 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.  Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.