Headed for the Cross
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91:4 (ESV)
I like to take the back roads whenever possible so my trips to and from work do not include fast routes. I don’t mind leaving a little bit early because it gives me the opportunity to see early morning sunshine on God’s creation. It is the same way coming home. I take Sanatoga Road and pray there are no cars behind me so I can slow down and enjoy the scenery.
Recently, while coming home, I noticed several deer silhouetted against the early fall sky. Some were standing and some were resting on the ground. A rather large cross also stood up there and dwarfed these magnificent creatures. Also visible were two Adirondack chairs – vacant of course. Going up the hill, there must have been ten to twelve more deer that I spotted. They did not seem to be in a hurry. Their heads were down. They all appeared to be heading for the cross.
After pulling over a little, my observation told me that this was a very large herd. The bucks were already at the top and the does and their fawns were joining them. My curiosity (and wild imagination) took over. Why were they converging on that location? Granted, they could see quite a distance from the top but that didn’t seem like enough of a draw.
Could it possibly be that they felt safe and secure in the area of the cross? No, that would be just too farfetched for even me to believe…and yet there they were. Well, I guess that animals can feel safe in certain settings or locations. It was surreal.
A horn honked behind me and I had to move on but I have thought of those deer for several days. What were they doing? Let’s just play this out.
Animals do feel secure so why don’t we trust our Creator more? So often we tend to hide or seek refuge from others when they cannot begin to offer what we really need. Yes, I also believe that there is safety in numbers. When we step out from under His protective wing, we are exposed to every evil thing.
I cannot explain what I saw but if we head for the cross, we’ll be drawn closer to Him.
Father, thank You for giving us glimpses of nature that teach life lessons. Sometimes, I am amazed, swept away and startled by what You use to speak into my heart. Thank You. AMEN.
Photograph Michael Johnston