When Birds Bend Their Knees

One morning, one of the children discovered one of our chickens in a cupboard of our garage!

Apparently it had sneaked into our garage during the day, 

and, thanks to its roosting instinct, had found a place to roost overnight.

So there she was, up in the cupboard, seemingly quite content!

"Daddy!" Danny exclaimed another morning.

"Do you know how birds stay on their perches at night?"

Excitedly, our little boy told how that when a bird's knees bend,

its toes automatically curl up and grasp whatever it is perching on.

That way, it can sleep all night without fear of falling off its perch!

And so, this mother has gone to her knees in recent days, 

because when our knees bend, we automatically grasp something to keep us from falling,

something on which to hang our burdens and our cares,

our hope and our faith.

In the darkest and longest nights of the soul, the bended knee gets hold of something we could not otherwise grasp--the Branch of God.

 And haven't we all heard that if you want to pick up something heavy,

you should bend your knees and use your leg muscles

rather than lift heavy things with your back?

 It only stands to reason then, 

that when something is too heavy for us,

rather than trying to deal with it in our own strength,

we ought to bend our knees.

Heavenly Father, as our knees bend before You each day,
be the branch on which we may safely rest!
And remember also those days when our very restlessness or weariness drives us to pace in prayer instead of kneel.
Even then, remember our infirmities, and that we are dust.
Teach us to quiet ourselves and to trust in You.
And when we can't quiet ourselves because of the storm,
would You Yourself calm the storm and speak peace to our troubled hearts?