Just Bee-lieve!

This afternoon, the boys and I took advantage of a completely perfect day out in the sunshine and fresh cool air of the Lowcountry. They were busily flying kites, and I curled up in my lawn chair with my Mary and Martha book, as I have class tonight. Soon, the boys tuckered out from all the running, and they came and sat by me to take a rest and grab a cool drink. Josh caught a glimpse of some movement down on the ground near our chairs. Somehow, hundreds of tiny ants had managed to ground a far larger yellow jacket and were repeatedly attacking the bee. Josh, with his tender heart, saw the disadvantage of the bee and decided to defend the underdog. He took a stick and pushed the ants away from the bee, and kept holding them off to give the bee enough time to regroup, find its legs, and take to the air where it was designed to be. As I watched Josh take action, I was reminded of how life is often like that. We are God's creation, his masterpiece designed in his own image, and often we are attacked from every angle. Designed to live as His children, with all the blessings of a Father who loves us deeply, yet many times we find ourselves entangled in the cares and traps of this world, in spite of the greater power that has been extended to us. We allow these things to so overwhelm us, that we are dragged out of our rightful place in His kingdom, thus ineffective on all fronts. As I watched Josh move his stick vigorously to keep the ants far enough away from the bee, it made me think of how many things that God holds back, lovingly, protecting us from the onslaught that would surely devour us if not for His provision and defense. Yes, we are assured that this world will bestow it's fair share of trouble on our lives, but moreover, we are promised that the One that overcame it all, is on our side. I am learning how deeply intimate the Lord wants to be toward us, if we would just let Him. I am always amazed how He can use anything (even a little boy, a bee and some ants) to reveal a beautiful truth about Himself to the ones He holds so dear to His own heart.