I’m a lover of nature – of God’s creation. It doesn’t take much to amaze me. I feel His presence most when I am appreciating the splendour of His work. He often speaks to me when I take the time to observe and ruminate, or meditate, on what He’s showing me.
A few weeks ago, while taking a walk, I heard a sound I had never heard before. When I looked up I saw a goose – one goose – flying very low and in the wrong direction. In Canada, when spring rolls around, we see geese – in flocks – flying home from their winter stay in the south. They honk from on high in unison; that sound is unmistakeable. On this particular day however I heard what one single goose sounds like. Had I not looked up, I would have never known it was a goose. It was the distance that made the difference. And why was he flying so low? Why was he alone and going in the wrong direction?
I wondered what I sound like to God when my voice is more distant than usual, when I’m calling to Him from the ground instead of meeting Him in the spirit? I wonder what He thinks when He sees me in my low times, moving about in the wrong direction, alone instead of in the flock He placed me in.
That goose was separated from his flock. Perhaps this was by choice. Maybe he thought he could wing it alone. There are times when I think the same way. I tend to distance myself from the flock because I’m naturally a loner. But too much time alone usually disorients me; I lose touch, my flight path changes and the next thing I know I’m having a long distance relationship with God.
The flock flies together; they look out for each other. They hold each other accountable and though they travel long distances – they don’t have a long distance relationship with their Creator. They soar when they are together and low when flying solo.
Are you flying solo? It's the distance that makes the difference.
“And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22 NIV.
