Object Lesson of Max and the Hawk

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 27. Here is what I learned.

Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident. Psalm 27:3 (NLT)

Though castles stand together against me; mine heart shall not dread (Though hosts, or armies, stand together against me; my heart shall not fear). Though battle riseth against me; in this thing I shall have hope. Psalm 27:3 (WYC)

Encamp: construct camp, set up camp.

Fear (afraid): affright, be make afraid, dreadful, put in fearful reverence, terrible act.

Heart: inner man, mind, will.

Every now and then, a hawk sits on a tree directly outside the living room window. Max, my parakeet, has a cage in front of that window. When the hawk arrives, Max is “fine” as long as he can see me, or come sit on me. But if I leave the room when the hawk is outside, Max not only gets upset, he flies to where I am. Now, the hawk cannot get to Max. There is a double window, a screen, and the wall between Max and the hawk. But just knowing that the hawk is there, puts fear into Max, unless he can see me. Max feels safe when he knows I’m near. 

This is a great object lesson of Psalm 27:3. The enemies are only “camped”. They are not in active war, they are “bedded” down. But just knowing that they are there, can instill fear, UNLESS, one realizes that God is the ultimate protector. 

Doubtless the shadow of anticipated trouble is, to timorous minds, a more prolific source of sorrow than the trouble itself, but faith puts a strengthening plaister (plaster) to the back of courage, and throws out of the window the dregs of the cup of trembling. The Treasury of David

How often have I started worrying and fretting over an “encamped situation”? It’s amazing how my mind can create the worst scenarios possible. That is, if God is not the focus of my trust and faith. When I stop facing the encampment, and turn my focus to God and His love and protection, I am at peace. 

The object lesson of Max and the hawk, will remind me that to create a positive day, I need to ignore the encampment, and remember that God is present and watching out for me.