Safe from the Hawk

 Usually I do laundry on Monday.

But last week it was Tuesday since Jonathan and I had to be gone all day Monday to Sioux Falls. I was hanging laundry like usual, when something made me look up. 

And there, right above me, was a hawk!

The first thing I thought of was all the chickens that were all over the place. That hawk obviously had his eye on the chickens, especially the smaller young ones. There he hovered, big hawk eyes ogling.

I looked around in a sort of panic, trying to think how to warn our hens.  

Strangely enough, not a hen was in sight! Not a feather was to be seen of either young chickens or gray guineas! To my shock, the chickens had disappeared!

I looked back up at that naughty hawk, and I yelled. 

I flapped whatever clothing I was holding and tried to look and act as perfectly atrocious as possible!

This did seem to startle the predator a bit, and before long, with nothing savory to tempt his saliva glands (if hawks have saliva)

he was floating off in the blue sky.

I waited a while, finishing the laundry. Then one by one, I noticed the chickens coming out again. 

I had not heard any sounding of alarm, but apparently the chickens had. One or more of them had noticed, as I did, something was not right. Had they seen the hawk itself?

Or just the shadow? 

I didn't know. I just knew that  the hawk had glided far away, danger was over, and the chickens were coming out again to find food, water, or a dust bath spot.  

It was safe again. 

They popped back out from where they had hidden under the travel trailer or in the chicken coop. 

I think of the hawks in our lives, the way Satan wants to capture our hearts and attention, the way he wants to destroy us. How good it is to listen to the quick voice of warning and alarm that loved ones and godly counselors sound for us! May each of us be alert to even the shadow of the hawk that hunts our souls, and may we fly to the shelter of God's wings, to the sure fortress of the Rock that is higher than I.

In these alarming days of uncertainty and turmoil all around--nationally and internationally, economically, spiritually, physically, relationally--may God preserve us from the hawk, and may we keep our ears open to His warning signal, the alert about danger, and His invitation to a place of safety and rest in Christ.