Of Flycatchers & Leaf Blowers
"Great are the works of the Lord, they are pondered by all who delight in them."vs. 2
I am not a big outdoors man. If there was such a thing and I was a competitor in it, I would die on the way to a Survive-Off-the-Land competition. However, I do enjoy my limited exposure to outdoor living when provided the opportunity.
Recently, due to the kindness of a friend, I was able to take my family to a cabin in the woods of the Great Smoky Mountains. During a quiet time with the Lord, I read Psalms 111:2. I was seated on the back porch overlooking miles of views and watching the setting sun. It was a beautiful vista. Then I heard the Flycatcher. I listened to the birds chirping and whistling to one another. I found myself experiencing verse 2 of my scripture that day. I pondered and delighted in the works of the Lord.
Then a sound rang across my auditory spectrum. A leaf blower wound up in the distance, and although it was at least a half of a mile away, it could still be heard loud and clear. I searched the distance, looking over a rolling, kelly green valley, for the source of the offensive sound but to no avail. I sat in amazement at the battle that had been engaged—leaf blower vs. birds of the Appalachians. I must admit that the leaf blower, even from its distant location, drowned out the song of the Flycatchers. But in the end, the blower had to stop. The birds were still there, chirping their praise to a wonder-working God.
That is when the Holy Spirit spoke to me. Man's machines are loud and obnoxious. They demand our attention with volume and ferociousness. But their cacophony is temporary. They lack staying power. The works of the Lord are continuous, never ceasing to call out to us, beaconing us to ponder the Might of our Awesome God.