I woke with a worry that made no sense really, quickly setting the tone for what was fighting to be a heavy day.
I have been referring to these type things as “the enemy”, thoughts that fight to sway my faith the other way.
I’m becoming accustomed to the strange looks or pauses that seem to say, “Did she say enemy?
Is she really talking about Satan? Is she buying into the talk of the tactics of the evil one, the liar, the conniving thief of peace?”
Yes.
I am.
It’s no different though than the responses of some when you begin to say “Jesus”, begin to call him your friend, begin to believe the truth of his gruesome sacrifice and live and breathe with the purpose of knowing this Savior intimately, personally,
realistically.
The Son of God, the God who created me, created you.
“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”
Psalms 139:16 NLT
God sees you growing in wisdom and bravery. The enemy does too.
Yesterday evening, I walked the neighborhood trail, talk in my ear about a book, “Gentle and Lowly” by Dane Ortlund
I rounded the curve, alone on the trail, a distant dog barking and a teenager puttering with a putter in a backyard. I waved and continued.
The stretch of smooth bordering the wildflowers caused me to turn and look.
On the edge of the woods, standing in the overgrowth, I saw it staring.
I stood still.
A fox was fixated on me, staring me down. Its old eyes considering me, I looked back.
It never moved and I was captivated.
Not threatened, simply moved.
Its body seemed old and exhausted, the copper color of its coat mostly overtaken by grey.
It seemed intent on making a statement although its presence felt met by a resistance it didn’t quite understand.
As if it had no strength to harm me, only make me know it was still there.
Dane Ortlund describes a loving Jesus who longs for us to remember He is with us, for us, we can stop striving to be good enough.
We can stop condemning ourselves, anticipating punishment for our behaviors. We can rest.
We can calm down.
The worry that woke me went away as quickly as I raised my weary body from beside my bed.
I prayed and my prayers were heard by my advocate, the one who came and lifted my head to say today is another new day.
You will see.
I searched for the symbolism of the fox. Found words like sly and conniving and some that reframed those words to skilled and thoughtful, able to get itself out of dangerous places.
Jesus used the word when he referred to Herod who was trying to halt his mission.
“Jesus replied, “Go tell that fox that I will keep on casting out demons and healing people today and tomorrow; and the third day I will accomplish my purpose.”
Luke 13:32 NLT
Words in red in my Bible, relevant still today.
Jesus saying to us.
Tell that fox you still have a purpose.
The strange waking worry found relief. I saw a photo of a painting, the one above. As it happens on occasion, I saw shapes that weren’t intentional. Today, I stare at the painting in peace. Brushstrokes and blending it seems led to angels hovering near, protection and peace.
All things come together, the fox, the special painting that came with angst in completing.
Miracles to me, tiny things God causes us to see.
Because of Jesus, we have peace.
He holds all things together.
Listen here.
Lisa Anne Tindal 
I have been reading the Dane Ortlund book – slowly, no more than a chapter a day. Three-quarters of the way through. So much to take in.
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I’m trying to decide whether to send my 24 yr. old son a copy. He’s a believer but not in a church and is taking on some views of others his age. I don’t want to make him feel called out or criticized. What do you think?
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That’s a difficult one Lisa. Does he like reading? You could give him a copy and say that the book has blessed you and you’d appreciate his opinion on it. My youngest son is similar to your son at the moment, although the main reason for not being in church is Covid. Churches in the UK are allowed to open, but numbers are restricted and congregational singing is not permitted. Plus he doesn’t fit in at church anymore but he does with his non-Christian mates. He sort of sits somewhere between the youth and the rest of the church. We don’t have an 18-30s ministry at present. I just keep praying for him and remembering that he is as much God’s responsibility as much as he is mine. I also remember my father despairing of me at around that age, perhaps a bit younger, and I came through – with a lot of prayer from quite a few people.
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Amen. Because of Jesus we have peace. Jesus also tells us to catch the little foxes devouring His harvest in Song of Songs 2. It’s taken me 6 years to understand that we catch the fox by looking upon Jesus – not by fighting the fox, but resting in the battle won by Jesus at the Cross.
This was in my feed just before:
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