I have hesitated to write this, because in a sense it is not my story to tell. And yet, it absolutely is. And yet, it is some other people's story as well, and I need to guard their privacy. This story is spectacular, and shows the amazing power and goodness of God, who is worthy of all praise. Therefore, I am going to tell it, but I am withholding certain information and perhaps changing other details, just to be responsible, to be circumspect.
There is a young couple I know and love deeply. They live far from me. They are smart, funny, interesting people. They met in a pet store, which is a detail as quirky and romantic and charming as the two of them. They moved in together with a dog and a bird, a little family of sorts, unofficial but sincere. Of course, I would rather they were married, but God is in control. God knows the things He has planned. God knows what He is doing.
They do not identify with God. This is a great sadness to my heart, because I believe that God is the greatest good anyone can ever attain, the Treasure beyond all treasures, the Source of all life, beauty and wisdom. Since I love them dearly, I long for them to know my Lord and be enfolded into the wonders of His glorious kingdom. I long for them to walk in His righteousness and love, blessed and covered with the grace that comes through Christ. I long for them to be saved, indwelt by the precious Holy Spirit, and set apart for eternity in heaven. They are not open to this.
Not yet.
The young woman--I'll call her Rachel--had a bird named Linda whom she had owned for many years. Rachel and Linda were very close. Linda loved to sit on Rachel's shoulder and follow her around the home. Rachel loved to awaken in the morning to the sweet sounds of Linda singing. The young man--I'll call him Nathan--was gaining Linda's confidence, and she was beginning to perch on him, too. In their happy household, Linda was able to frolic free from her cage most of the time.
One Sunday in spring, during the height of COVID, Nathan and Rachel ordered a food delivery. When the delivery guy arrived and they opened the door to grab the sack of food, Linda surprised everyone by swooping out. Rachel ran after her and followed as far as she could, down blocks and around corners, calling out desperately. Despite her best efforts, she lost track of her sweet bird, and had to return home empty handed. She publicized notices that Linda had flown away, on social media and through lost pets organizations, but there was very little she could do.
I saw the notice on social media, and knowing how much Rachel loved that little bird, I contacted her to ask if I could pray. I prayed as hard as I knew how, longing for Jesus to intervene and display His love and care, but day after day, no word came. Nathan, feeling terrible for Rachel, purchased her a new bird, a beautiful sky blue bird. Beauty notwithstanding, it wasn't Linda.
The following Wednesday, I was praying with some friends. At the end of the the prayer meeting, sheepishly, I mentioned that this bird had gone missing and asked if they would pray with me. I figured it was far too long--over three days--for the bird to have survived in the wild, but it was on my heart, and I brought it up.
As soon as the prayer meeting was over, I noticed that a message had come in on my phone. It was Rachel, letting me know that Linda had been found. I read it once, twice, and then over and over. "Can this be?" I asked Shawn, holding out my phone. "Rachel says Linda has been found."
Linda had flown 35 miles over the course of three days. On Wednesday afternoon, she arrived in a neighborhood where a man was out working in his yard. He had parked his truck in his driveway, and Linda flew into one of the open workboxes on the back of it. Any ordinary man might have been annoyed to see a bird fly into his workbox, and simply shooed her out. But this man actually worked with the local animal rescue chapter, and he recognized that Linda was an exotic species. He approached her, quieted her, and contained her. Then he looked up missing birds, because he knew how to look for people who were asking for help finding lost pets. Since Rachel had posted to a lost pets website, from there it was quick work to get in touch and make the connection. He called Rachel and sent her a photo of Linda in his home. He even drove the 35 miles back to Rachel and Nathan's town the next day, and delivered the bird to them personally. Linda was fine, except that she had lost her tail-feathers.
Only God. Seriously. Only God could orchestrate this. Gratitude welled up in my heart like a spring that must overflow. The Lord is good, and full of lovingkindness. The Lord has compassion on all He has made. (Psalm 145)
The last time we saw Nathan and Rachel, they told us that ever since her Big Adventure, Linda has been all the more attached to Rachel, and wants to be with her, practically right on her, always. Nathan said to me, "Linda thought she wanted to fly away into the wide, wild world and have crazy adventures, but she learned. She found out it's a dangerous place for little birds out there, and the best place to be is in your nice, safe home with the people who love you. Everything she ever really wanted is right here." He also told me, at another point and as an aside, "Yeah, I still haven't figured out how that bird came back." In my heart of hearts, though, I have to believe he knows.
Dear Lord Jesus, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. (Psalm 90:1)
Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you. (Augustine)
You make known to me the path of life;
You will fill me with joy in Your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Psalm 16:11
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