Spiritually Speaking – July 2020

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.  My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:  He that keepeth thee will not slumber.”

Psalm 121:1-3 KJV

 “Being Like the Buzzard, Bat, and Bumble Bee”

           If you put a Buzzard in a pen that is 6’ by 8’ and entirely open at the top, the buzzard (in spite of its ability to fly), will be an absolute prisoner.  The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from a ground run of 10-12’.  Without space to run, it will not even attempt to fly.  It will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

The ordinary Bat that flies around at night, a remarkably nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place.  If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly until it reaches some elevation from which it can throw itself into the air.  Then—at once—it takes off like a flash.

The Bumble Bee, if dropped in an open tumbler, will be there until it dies…unless it is taken out.  It never sees the means of escape at the top, but it persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom.  It will seek a way where none exists until it completely destroys itself.

Like the Buzzard, Bat, and Bumble Bee, we struggle about with problems and frustration—never realizing the answer is above us. 

 David wrote, “My voice shall thou hear in the morning, O Lord;in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and I will look up.”

Psalm 5:3 KJV

Years ago on a visit to Hawaii, we decided to see the Diamond Head Crater.  Though I had lived in Hawaii for four years, I had never gone inside the park.

There is a hiking trail there on which you can walk to the top.  If I remember correctly, it was 1.6 miles…almost straight up with over 250 steps to the top.  Being 70 years old, having experienced back problems and a heart attack, I probably should have remained at the bottom and let the young ones make the climb.

Nevertheless, I could never be given a reward for using good sense, so I hiked along with the young ones.  You can believe my head was up; and I kept saying, “I can never make it.”  However, God somehow wanted me to see the beautiful sight from the top.

After a struggle—with God helping me—I found myself nearing the top.  Then after crawling through a tight tunnel-like space, I was able to see the beautiful blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, a lighthouse hidden from view of the crater, and many miles of shoreline.

Not long after that trip, on the marquee of one of the local churches, I saw this message that somewhat summarizes the options we have in this life:

“Sorrow looks back; Worry looks around; but Faith looks up.”

Certainly there is nothing wrong with looking back or looking around.  However, when we do, we are still depending on our own strength.  When we look up, we know that the Savior is waiting to show us the way to freedom and happiness.

Only through Him can we find the way.

The Reverend Donald Davis, Retired Minister
Concord, North Carolina