THE WOUNDED ROBIN.
Way high up in the sky, flew a robin, sometimes fluttering his wings, occasionally gliding on the crest of a wind, diving, ducking and soaring with all the other birds. He loved to watch the world from above; he loved flying with the diverse birds he met in the sky. He loved being a part of their community, building nests, helping others to succeed and not only to survive but to thrive too. He often became frantic in seeing that the other birds were well taken care of, and, protected from all evil. They saw him as awe inspiring and a source of stability and strength.
One day he was enjoying cruising at a high altitude with the wind behind his back, when he felt a peculiar sensation, one he had not experienced before. A hunter had aimed his gun at him and had met his target in a bullet. The robin found himself falling, falling rapidly, dangerously to the ground. He felt the pain in his wing where the bullet had done its damage. He was powerless to stop the descent, hurt and damaged; there was nothing he could do.
The robin landed awkwardly on a piece of a farmer’s land. The other birds flew to the ground trying to get him up, back on his feet and flying again, but to no avail. His wing hurt too much and there was blood everywhere. He felt weak and vulnerable, lying on that ground exposed. The birds discussed what they could do to assist him, each one with their own suggestion but nothing worked. They hastily flew away as soon as they saw the farmer approaching with his son.
The robin too watched them approach, his heart started beating rapidly with fear and horror.
“Was this the end? “he thought.
The farmer gently spoke to the robin before he picked up the struggling bird:
“It’s going to be ok little bird. I won’t harm you”.
The farmer and his son walked to the house, found a cage and filled it with cotton wool. They ever so carefully placed the robin in the cage shutting the door. The robin was both surprised and relieved that he had been left alone and still very much alive. However, the pain was still there. He began to make plans to escape as soon as that door was opened.
Each day the farmer would open that cage, pour healing oil over the robin’s wing and speak soothingly to the bird. Sometimes, when the farmer was busy, he would send his son. Every time the cage door opened, the robin would try to fly away but to no avail. It just hurt too much and he wasn’t strong enough. The other birds, with well meaning intentions, would peep in and urge him to escape.
The farmer would never shout, scold or treat the robin harshly, always reassuring the little bird in hushed tones, telling him that he just wanted to let him heal, before setting him free again. The farmer would take that little bird in his hands, covering the bird tenderly, whispering reassurances constantly
“It’s going to be ok”.
Slowly but surely, the Robin relaxed in that farmer’s hand, recognizing that the farmer and his son meant him no harm, but wanted to help .He enjoyed being stroked and fussed over. The healing oil poured over him every day brought back strength, and one day, his wing was completely healed.
The next day the Farmer opened the cage door, took the robin out and said tenderly:
“It’s time to release you little one. You are healed. Time for you to fly high up in the sky again”,
The farmer lifted his hand and the robin flew, flew high, high up, higher than he had ever flown before. He was so much stronger than before the injury, so very thankful that he had been healed and saved.
Our Lord gave me this picture and story of the wounded robin during one of my soaking moments with some very precious ladies; who have been such a blessing. I sensed Him saying that so often we are like that wounded robin. We receive wounds, hurts, betrayals, disappointments and we ignore them, minimize them and try to get on with our lives and” fly”. People who care about us try to tell us to get on with our lives and live. God is saying to us that He desires that we come away with Him for a while, so He can pour that healing oil over those wounds. He too wants to reassure us as the farmer did to the little robin
“It’s going to be ok, rest in my hands. I am a safe place. Let me heal those wounds, those scars, those hurts, those disappointments.” You don’t have to be strong just yet. I will strengthen you with my righteous right hand. I will bandage you, heal your wounds and only when the time is right, will I lift up my hands and release you “.
God wants you to be in a season of being rejuvenated, regenerated and restored. This is a season for many in the body of Christ to allow Him to divinely reset and strengthen you. For some of us, we have been busy with various things, many lives, with good and admirable projects, but it’s time to cease from striving and performing. We as human beings wear busyness and “doing” as a badge of honour. God is saying:
“No more. I want you to just BE MY CHILD in this season”.
Allow Him to keep you safely in His hands and don’t resist. Rest in Him and watch as He upholds and heals you.
I end with this quote from Melody Beattie and with scripture.
“We trust that someone greater than ourselves knows, has ordained, and cares about what is happening. We understand that this someone can do much more to solve the problem than we can. So we try to stay of His way and let Him do it”.
Psalm 23:2 ( Passion Translation).
“He offers a resting place for me in His luxurious love.
His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss.”
