There is a family of rabbits that have started to come around in my father’s yard here in Boston. We live on the edge of the city – it’s a mix of city and suburb, so rabbits are a new thing, an oddity. But at almost any time of the day, it’s no longer a new thing to be surprised by a little rabbit nibbling away at the grass on the front yard. You can get up pretty close to them, too – they seem very trusting.
So I thought to myself, how does he stick around? How does he survive? I mean there are a lot of other pets around, cats and dogs, that can chase him by land. And there is also another new animal in the neighborhood. He’s a red-tailed hawk. Hawks like rabbits – for lunch. He can catch our vulnerable friend by the air. With all these threats, I wondered, how does our cotton-tailed guest make it through life?
Then, one day, when I looked out the window, I saw him and I understood. Here is a picture of what I saw:
He’s no dummy. He rested there for an hour. The rabbit has his back to a large tree, so he’s protected from behind. He can see the open space to the left, right, and the front. And above? The tree casts a big shade over him – there’s no way a hawk can even see him, never mind swoop down to take him.
He knows where it’s safe. He knows where his shelter is.
You may feel that threats are coming at you in life from different directions. Maybe financial problems are creeping up on you like a cat. Maybe your boss is hounding you like, well, a hound. And maybe someone close to you is watching you like a hawk to take advantage of your weaknesses and bully you.
If so, then remember: you are protected in God from all sides. Always remember that God is your refuge, He is your shelter.
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
and abides in the shade of the Almighty
says to the Lord: ‘My refuge,
my stronghold, my God in whom I trust.’” (Ps 91:1-2)
Whatever the threats may be in your life, it’s important to know where it’s safe. It’s important to know where your shelter is. It’s important to rest in God.
ALM 