God is Watching Over You (Part 2) (a reflection after seeing a "Hissy Fit")

What is a "hissy fit"? I have heard that term from time to time. Well, the other day, my husband used that phrase in a way that made perfect sense.

We were biking along the Hennepin Trail, around Princeton. It was a lovely day for it. The sun was out, as was the breeze. Ahhh. But so were...the geese. Ugh! Four times along the path, to our dismay, we encountered a grouping of several geese families; papa, mama and goslings. And oh, were those parents on edge. As we approached, they stopped, puffed out their chests, flapped their wings, and ....hissed. Their "hissy fit" was very disconcerting. I felt my heart rate pick up a bit as we approached. We got as far over on the path as we could, and pedaled fast past the hissing fowl, fearful of a potential attack. Why? They were protecting their children. Intensely intentional. We were the enemy after all, the potetial harm producer (or so they thought). Thus we respected their territory and made our way past as quickly as we could be. Being hissed at by geese in a hissy fit was deterrent enough for us to keep on moving and let them be!

As we biked on past, to a quieter, safer part of the path, I reflected on what I had just witnessed. I realized that the responses of those birds were purely motivated by an innate sense to protect those they cared about from potential harm. It was rather endearing actually.

And then, I considered the endearing, protective intention of our Heavenly Father! How often has He thwarted the approach of the enemy on our behalf? How many times has He provided a hedge of protection, a timely swerve, an opportune intervention, all as a means of protecting us, His children! How comforting it is to know that He is there, watching us, even watching over us, protecting us from harm and evil! So often we are unaware of the spiritual battles going on behind the scenes of our obscured reality! So often, even as those goslings, we may be unaware of the dangers lurking nearby. What matters is that we are keeping close to our Heavenly Father, following in His footsteps, trusting in Him, even as those goslings, wobbling along after their parents, oblivious to the potential, pending danger around them!

Thank you Jesus for your ever watchful eye and for the loving protection you provide along our way. May we stay close to your Father heart, keeping our eyes on you as we follow in the way that your Word tells us to take. All while you keep your protective eye upon us!

"For the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you." Deut. 20:4