A few nights ago, I had a very surreal experience. I was on my way home from my evening band rehearsal. As I came to the end of Ransom St. at U.S. 31, through the dark I saw a man with a flashlight in the road. There was also a pick-up truck with its hazard lights on, parked on the side of the road. I pulled up alongside the man with the flashlight, rolled down my window and asked if everything was alright. It was an elderly man who I’d guess to be in his late 70’s. He said something like, “Yeah, I’m getting my ducks.” Right at that point, I looked up ahead and saw about 30 full-grown ducks (mostly male mallards) waddling along in the road. The guy who owned the pick-up truck was trying to help the elderly man “herd” the ducks (I have no idea if that man and the elderly man knew each other).
Apparently, the ducks belonged to the elderly man who owned a farm down the road. And when the temperature dropped, the surface of the water where the ducks hung out froze…which meant they couldn’t get at the fresh water. Rather than waiting around for their master to remedy the problem, they decided to take off and look for fresh water. The trouble is, they lived near a highway. And as I would discover once I turned the corner onto the highway, a few of the ducks did make it out to U.S. 31 (at least for a few moments… long enough for 3 of them to get creamed).
I thought again today about this surreal experience, and thought this whole thing was sorta like how the Holy Spirit speaks to us as Christ followers in our lives. Ok… so we’re the ducks. God is like the old farmer calling to, and caring for his ducks so they don’t get creamed. Sometimes, we’re impatient with our master when trials come (when the water freezes), and we take off down the road. Rather than waiting and trusting that our master will provide a way, we wander away looking for open water. Trouble is, we don’t see the danger in doing so. Why? Because we’re ducks, He’s the master, and we’re not. Sometimes we ignore the voice of God speaking to us… calling us… prompting us… counseling us. We ignore the Spirit of our Master and strike out on our own….toward the highway. We forsake the wisdom of the Father for the wisdom of men… of popular culture... of our fellow ducks. What is it we’re looking for? Fresh water? Greener pastures? A better relationship? Fulfillment? A pleasant “church experience” which requires very little real sacrifice or lasting life-change on our part?
My guess is that if we continue to ignore God’s voice, one of two things will happen. We’ll either get creamed, or before long we’ll forget the sound of the Master’s voice and be unable to hear it when He calls. We’ll continue to wander down the road of life. We may even be lucky enough to live out the rest of our days in quiet comfort, free from the “confines” of any master other than ourselves. But ultimately, without the wisdom, protection, provision, love, grace, forgiveness, and healing the Master (the Creator of the universe) can provide, we’re just a lost duck.
A man is out at sea on a solo cruise, and his ship is wrecked in a storm. He's barely able to keep the craft afloat, and a small fishing vessel stops by. "Need a lift, sailor?" the captain says. "Thank you, no, my Lord and Master will provide."
ReplyDeleteSo they go on their way. An hour later, the man is nearly exhausted, and a freighter stops by. "Come aboard, good buddy!" the captain shouts. "Thank you no, my Lord and Master will provide."
So they go on their way. An hour later, the USS Nimitz carrier battle group stops by, with literally tens of thousands of bored soldiers ready to help. "Disabled vessel, do you require assistance?" a destroyer's XO says. "Thank you, no, my Lord and Master will provide.
So the boat sinks and he dies. He goes to Heaven, as good Christians do. After his paperwork is processed, he asks God Himself: "My Lord, I had faith that you would rescue me. In my last hours, I prayed harder than I ever had in my life. Why didn't you help me??"
God says, "What are you talking about, I sent three boats!"