Lessons from a little Bird....

Have you ever got yourself in a bad place...?
Made a decision to do something and before you know what has happened, you are trapped?
I have a gas fireplace insert, and somehow, some way, a bird found himself trapped in the place behind my fireplace insert where there is a small space on either side of and above the insert. The only way into this place that I can see is way up near our roof where there is a crack that a bird could possibly fit into, but why it would want to crawl into this dark place is beyond me.
Yet, I can think of numerous times in my life where I made choices to enter dark places. I say dark, because I was unable to see what was ahead of me at the time.
I found myself thinking about this bird today and about his lack of freedom and even more important, about his inability to save himself.
At first I thought the bird was stuck in the flue and hopelessly going to die in there. We could hear him flapping around from side to side and it was very unsettling. I felt his hopelessness.
But when I investigated I realized that he was not hopelessly stuck, he was just held captive by the trappings of the fireplace insert. Had that insert not been there, he would have been free.
He was trying desperately to free himself, but was completely unable in his own strength to get himself out. He couldn't see what I could see. From my position, I could see that some work needed to be done in order for him to get out. I went and got my tool bag and began the process of taking apart the fireplace yet, with each loosened screw, the bird became more and more frantic. I could see his little legs running back and forth through the 1" crack and feathers were beginning to fly out the sides of the fireplace. The bird was aware of one thing it seemed....he wanted out of his predicament. I thought that when I pulled the last panel away that he would fly out in a panic and I was worried that he would start crazily flying around the house, so first I opened wide the double front doors of my house, along with the screens, hoping that he would head in that direction. I held my breath and watched as he was desperately pressing his long pointy beak out the crack where my hand was. I pulled it away from the brick, bracing myself for a fuss and imagine my surprise when he simply walked out!!! He walked out slowly and carefully, but completely relaxed. He hopped up onto my chaise lounge and had a little look around. He pecked a bit at my wind breaker that was on the chaise, lifting the corner of it like he was searching for something, and then he hopped amazingly toward the front of the house, off the chaise and onto the floor, seemingly in no hurry. And then he hopped toward the open doors only stopping long enough to look back and chirp! Mmmm, I think he was thanking me. He headed down the front steps and onto to the grass where dinner was waiting for him.....he was hungry!
I can't help but make a spiritual lesson out of this.

Sin leads to darkness, which leads to captivity and eventually to death. There have been times in my life when my choices have led me on this path. I had no ability to help myself.
I cannot save myself.
There is only one who can save and His name is Jesus.
Sin (which has infected every single human being on this earth) separates us from God, and according to Romans 6:23, "the wages of sin is death", but Jesus gave His very life and took the punishment for our sin, paid for our sin, was the ransome for our sin, and through this unfathomable forgiveness on the cross, saves us! The rest of Romans 6:23 says, "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Like this bird, I was never able to save myself, although I worked very hard to try to. I couldn't see what God could see, just as the bird could not understand or see what I could see.....a way out.
God can make a way where to the human eye there seems to be no way.
This bird taught me so much.
He taught me that freedom is freedom and when I know freedom, I can stop trashing around like a captive bird!
I posted a picture with this entry of a baby resting in what looks like her Father's large capable hands. To me this is a picture of freedom. This baby is free to be exactly who he or she is......a baby! This baby doesn't have to pretend to be anything else, he or she can just "be" a baby.
Do I know this kind of freedom?
Freedom to sit still in my Father's loving, caring, creative hands, knowing that He sees my life from a completely different position than I do. Knowing that He has the ability to do the work necessary in order for me to appropriate the freedom that He has already bought for me on the cross. He has a tool bag the like of which I cannot fathom. He is creator of the Universe....the One who conceived my existence in His heart long before I was ever formed in my mother's womb. The One who carved out the valleys and formed the mountains. DNA was God's idea! Who but God could create so creatively that there are over 380 different shades of green in this world that we are aware of....?
380! Who but God could create the miracle of birth?
Who but God could give a different voice for the purpose of singing to every different bird in the world?
Who but God could have taken the dark places of my life and breathed life into them?

There are some large, wide open doors in front of me right now, and I am so anxious to walk through them, but a lesson learned from a little bird has taught me that there is no rush, I am free to "be" who I am and I will be directed through those doors when the time is right.
Like the bird, I have realized the freedom that has always been mine for the taking, but I was trying to do the work myself and needless to say there was a lot of thrashing around going on in my life. I am learning to rest and as I rest, I have been enjoying the ride as those large capable hands carry me to and fro........

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1Cor 6:19-20

If you have found yourself in a dark place, don't listen to the voice of hopelessness....there is hope.
God can see you, He can hear you thrashing around.
His heart is to give you the gift of eternal life right now, not sometime in the future.
Freedom is right in front of you.
Call to Him from the dark and He will answer you, but understand that He will have to do some work in your life in order for you to undestand, receive and appropriate that freedom.
Don't stay in the dark any longer, you don't have to.
Lord Jesus, I need you to come and save me.
I can't save myself from the dark place where I am held captive.
I need you and I need your forgiveness; forgive me for my choices and my sin.
Help me.