Hello, my friends!
So I had a relationship breakthrough this week! It was with Sprinkles, my daughter’s pet cockatiel. Up until now, Sprinkles has wanted nothing to do with me. In fact, the only times she lets me hold her is when she’s flown off her perch and, in desperation, allowed me to return her to the safety of her cage. And even then, her appreciation turns immediately into disdain and she hisses at me.
But I keep trying. Little by little. And these last two days, I’ve finally made it into her circle of trust. I’ve walked in and reached out my finger and she’s hopped right on. And then she does this thing that I find completely heart-melting. She lowers her head down, almost to the point where it is between her little legs. It is the most vulnerable thing I’ve ever seen. And what she wants is for me to rub her neck.
And her neck is so tiny and fragile, deep underneath all that soft feathery fluff. And as I rub her neck she closes her eyes. I can almost hear her purring. Just soft little cheeps. Isn’t that the sweetest thing?!
And it makes me think of our relationship with God. How we so often live in a state of fear and anxiety, pacing back in forth nervously, only allowing Him to help us when we find ourselves completely frantic and in need. And even when God picks us up, how quickly we race back to that place of defensive self-reliance.
And God so desperately wants us to trust Him. To be able to remain calmly perched on the safety of His finger or shoulder. To relax and enjoy Him. To not startle at His voice, but instead to recognize the safety and reassurance that it brings.
And maybe, just maybe, we’ll actually lower our head. Although this takes tremendous courage at first. To stop clutching to our lives with control, and to trust so vulnerably that we will let God’s hand caress the back of our neck. To rest there knowing we are secure and safe. It is so counterintuitive, and yet what we long for most of all.
And what happens then is something more than we would ever expect, but something that I’ve felt so poignantly these last two days with this little bird. That as it lowers its head in trust, my heart is filled with joy. And so is God’s heart. Not only do we experience with God the joyful intimacy of his touch. But we, in receiving that blessing, bless Him right back.
“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Mat. 6:26
This Sunday evening we’re going to be meeting again at the beach at 7 PM, but this time we’re going to move just a little further north towards Main Beach. I think this will provide a bit easier access to those who have difficulty navigating the stairs and sand. We’ll meet out in front of Hotel Laguna where we’ll be baptizing Lisa Brooks as part of our service. I can’t wait! If anyone else would like to be baptized that night, please let me know and we’ll set it up.
Also, Deeper Walk will not be meeting for the month of August. It feels like a good time to do a reboot on that. More details to come!
I know that so many of us are struggling with huge emotions right now. If you’d like to schedule a time for prayer, either in person or on zoom, please let me know. And as usual, any prayer requests can be sent to us at prayer@lagunaefc.org.
We’re in this together! Let us continue to press on, fixing our eyes on Christ!
Love you!
Jeff