Most of the "show" this morning isn't the birds. It's a squirrel and Jon's instrument of tomfoolery: a rod of wood set up like a propeller, a corncob on each end. It spins in the wind, but its purpose is to propel squirrels. Not REpel. Really, PROpel. Yes, it's attached to Mr. Squirrel's old elm tree. His first few twirls were quite entertaining. Though it only swung from side to side with the added weight, the squirrel's reaction was worth it.
But now our squirrel is a seasoned prop pilot. He hangs upside down from the middle of the prop with his back feet and grabs the corn kernels with his little "hands" all while swinging mightily back and forth, back and forth. Then he has this cool "Comaneci" move to launch himself back to the tree.
Mr. Squirrel has also mastered the long jump. He can jump from the tree, land on the hanging feeder, and eat while swinging side-to-side and around in circles. It's his own little Disney teacup ride (though I wouldn't suggest eating at the same time on one of those).
Anyway, I've watched this squirrel for several days. He is relentless. He climbs, he swings, he gathers, he flips, he descends, and then he buries and starts again. The question hit me: How much is enough? He's never satisfied. Once the supply is exhausted, he is forced to find some other source. At least until we restock his supply. In a sense, we are his "gods". Bad ones at that. We make him do useless gymnastics to get his needs met. So glad God doesn't do that to me.
But I do that to me. I did a quick overview of my past "broken cisterns". You know - those places of temporary satisfaction. The ones that eventually come up empty. I've left a trail of them. When one left me empty, I searched for a new one. And I've done plenty of gymnastics, both physical and mental, to get my needs met. The egocentric nature of the flesh really does believe it can meet its own needs, fill its own appetites, satisfy itself. And just like my squirrel, we can look "oh so busy" and productive in the hunt. I once watched a squirrel dumpster-dive for french fries. He was fat. I'm sure he felt satisfied for awhile, but I don't think french fries are a good staple for squirrels. And eventually the dumpster is just filthy, void of sustenance, and there's no energy left to climb out of the thing.
Last night I was reading John 13. I can't really explain how I got there from here, but I came away thinking "when you're certain you have an inexhaustible source and an ever-satisfying source, you are freed from the stress of meeting your own need." There's a phrase in John 13:3 that says "Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands..." All things... maybe we could think about it this way: Jesus, knowing all of His needs were met in the Father..." And that's just one aspect.
If I knew my "hour had come", my needs would be screaming. How could I assure myself that I was loved? How could I avoid the hurt and pain and loss? Why not just throw caution to the wind and fulfill those selfish desires I've held at bay?
But Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, met His hour with divine selflessness. We are told right before that phrase that the devil had already put into the heart of Judas to betray Him. Jesus knew that. The false accusations were coming... the darts of the enemy were launched... and He undressed, girded Himself with a towel, and washed the feet of both His friends and His enemy. It wasn't "hey, I'm about to die for you - what about meeting one of my needs?" He had been given all things therefore could give everything.
We have an everlasting source. We have an inexhaustible supply. It's not our employers, it's not our "drugs of choice" (i.e. M & M's...), it's not the people around us, it's not our own smarts, it's not in accolades, approval, acceptance... it's in Him, in Christ, who was given all things into His hands from the Father. A bottomless well, not a broken cistern. An everlasting cornfield, not a couple of cobs on a stick. :)
I'm thinking today maybe I won't be like our squirrel, turning upside down, hanging precariously, trying to get my own needs met, however amusing that might be. What I need is in Jesus' hands - think I'll go to the Source.
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