There are deer in my yard every night and early in the morning, usually a doe and a couple of her fawn. A buck was among the group today. The others are here everyday. One morning I had to ask them to move so I could get in my car. Twice. And then they seemed put out. But the buck, that is a different story. I had never seen him before, and he acted as if he had never seen me.
I have enjoyed watching the deer grazing on acorn salad in my yard. They are graceful, fluid animals of such pastoral beauty, with dark eyes, long smooth neck, and strong, shapely legs. I can see where Solomon got that whole Song of Songs analogy (check your Bible, you might want to study with a friend). Anyway, back to the deer in my yard. I'll get the Bible out after you're gone.
For weeks the deer had become more and more tame. I enjoyed it because I was able to look at them up close for more than a fleeting second. But it did not seem right. As a child I spent a lot of time in the woods, these same woods as a matter of fact. I don't remember seeing a deer, ever. So to see them in my yard, grazing like cattle, seemed unnatural. What if enemies showed up, like coyotes, or Joe and Rick? The easy life they had become accustomed to could be their downfall. They had lost their awareness of the world around them. They had lost the innate knowledge that God meant for them to use to live. They had forgotten who they were,because they were safe, or they thought they were.
But not the buck. I saw him, and he saw me. I'm sure my eyes got as big as his, but that's where the similarity ended. He jerked his head straight up, his eyes wide and intense, then swung his head back and forth to the left and right, and bounded off in a frenetic route of escape. While not pastoral, it was a thing of unspeakable beauty.
And the rest of my deer friends? They were reminded who they were. Not domestic cattle, but wild animals. In a moment they were all out of sight.
So, my dear friends. Have we lost the innate knowledge that was placed within us? Have we chosen the deception of "safety" at the price of never really living? Have we denied who we are, the wonderful, dangerous adventure God has given to us?
If you have no idea what I'm talking about . . . well just graze.
Not sure if this is an urban legend or not, but here you go.
ReplyDeleteI heard a story about a little girl who told her parents she needed to talk to her newborn brother, and she wanted to be alone with him. Well, it worried them but she was quite insistent, so they let her do it but had the nursery monitor on. So the little girl goes into the nursery, closes the door and says to her infant brother, "Remind me about God. I'm starting to forget."
It's in there. Don't allow yourself to forget.