The Enforcer

For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor messengers, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present,
nor things about to be, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Rom. 8:38-39

This is my backyard buddy. He was one of the first mature Ruby Throats to arrive this year, and in a perennial summer ritual, a mature male claims every feeder in the backyard and runs all the other birds crazy. I don’t know how he does it, but protecting six different feeders spread evenly throughout the backyard is no small job.

I started putting a couple of feeders outside my office windows a few years back and lo and behold, the same phenomenon. Another enforcer! Its funny, I can be involved in an important meeting and the participants will stop talking, mouths will fall open, and their eyes will flit from side to side. Even though I am facing away from the feeders, I can tell by the looks on their faces that Big Ruby is cutting up and smacking the young interlopers around!




"Wow, look at those hummingbirds!" someone will exclaim. There are times when co-workers will drop in for a short visit, drink a cup of coffee and gaze at the hummers.

I have enjoyed watching hummingbirds for years. The flight movements are like no other living thing on this planet, and I have read that a human body subjected to the G forces of starts, stops, turns and flips would not survive the first flight. Our season will peak in a few weeks and they will be making the long trip south. But for now, I will enjoy the show!

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The scripture from Romans above has always been one of my favorites. The spiritual analogy here is quite easy to see; like that dominant hummingbird and his feeders, the love of God, through Christ Jesus our Lord, keeps us, protects us, and is possessive of us over a host of enemies. Knowing He cares for us like this breathes life into Mike Yaconelli’s term "God’s annoying love". Our response should be the same: A desire to keep our lives free from those annoying juvenile hummingbirds and jealously pursue our relationship with Him!

Final thought:

All the persons of faith I know are sinners, doubters, uneven performers. We are not secure because we are sure of ourselves but because we trust that God is sure of us.

Eugene Peterson
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction

All praise to You, our Heavenly Enforcer!




Mark
Prov 17:22