Psalm 121:1-2
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 118:5
Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
the Lord answered me and set me free.
My family knows how much I love animals, including creepy crawly things. I’ve been known to rescue a drowning lizard, June bug and bee. As well as stopping traffic to help a frog get to the other side of the road. I even insist on others helping me in these animal rescues including the day I directed my daughter to get out of the car to help the poor lost dog – because after all I was driving or I would have gotten out to help. Proverbs 12:10 says that the righteous take care of their beasts. I understand that all these animals are not mine, but they sure stop me in my tracks so that I can do something helpful – and in doing so, God always teaches me a spiritual lesson (Job 12:10).
Today was like any other day on my run. Keeping an attitude of thankfulness to God, I was just finishing my cool down. As I was walking up the hill toward my home, I noticed a green beetle on the sidewalk surrounded and enveloped by an army of ants – unable to get out of the ants’ grip. I could see his little arms flailing, confirming he was still alive. I immediately went into rescue mode – how I can help him, I asked myself.
I looked around at my surroundings and found a nearby pinecone. I picked up the cone and held it close to the looked as if dying green beetle. Slowly he made his way toward the apparatus and climbed upon it. As I held him, continuing to walk uphill, I could see a few ants had hitched a ride too.
I thought to myself – he needs to get to higher ground so that he can die peacefully and not be eaten alive by ants.
I looked around and decided to put him on top of an electrical box that I was approaching in about 30 feet.
I watched him closely on the pinecone – no longer thrashing his arms, but staying quite still. I then said a quick prayer – Lord he needs your help – and before I finished the word “help,” and to my surprise, he fly off into the air, never to be seen again! Oh how I rejoiced and cried at the same time!
Why would I be so emotional over such a small beast – because I see God’s hand throughout as He continues to lovingly teach and train me for His glory and my good.
God is so personal with all of His creation – including this beetle and me. He knows how much I love His animals. After all, every animal is the Lords and He owns them all (Psalm 50:10).
My heart longs to help animals in need. During these animal saving moments, I ask myself, do I love people more than these animals? God surely desires that I do. That is why Jesus came after all – to save people’s souls (Matthew 1:21).
When I first saw that this beetle needed help, I knew eventually the ants would devour him because he was not able to get out of the enemy’s stronghold on his own. No one can get out of the enemy’s hold on their own – we need the power of the Holy Spirit.
So what is God teaching me – Daily we are surrounded by enemies whether they are our own wrong thinking, sickness, relationship challenges, fear, etc. Our unbiblical thinking and other tough situations are all enemies to our soul.
The ants represented the beetle’s enemies. When the beetle was surrounded and enveloped by these ants, there was no way he was going to survive. But as I lured him onto the pinecone and lifted him up, I was reminded of what our God does all the time – calls us to higher ground (Habakkuk 3:19). God picks us up wherever we are at and carries us. But we have a part to play in our faith…
Faith is believing God’s Word and acting upon it no matter how I feel knowing that God promises a good result.
When our thoughts are focused on Christ and His gospel, not focused on the circumstance, the enemies fall into the background and don’t seem so big or even harmful anymore. Then as we press into gospel truths – the everlasting love God displayed for us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus – as well as who we are in Christ – chosen, beloved, justified, rescued from sin and death – we are able to rise above our enemies and soar as this green beetle did!
May this encourage you to trust in the Lord more deeply and take the next right step no matter what you face today. God is right there – watching and waiting for you to call out to Him for help. He will act. And you will fly.