Again, we are reminded by Scott Weidensaul in his "Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds" that "At every moment of every day, morning or midnight regardless of the season, there are birds aloft in the skies of the Western Hemisphere, migrating,"
It’s hunting season. Deer graze in peril, pheasants scoot in and out of sparse piles of brush, and flocks of migrating shorebirds fly exposed against a cloudless sky – all of them are fighting the odds against hunters in camouflage, who would do them harm. Hunting dogs bark, or “bay,” at game until their masters arrive. “Keeping at bay" means to keep something or someone at a distance or prevent a threat from advancing.
William Cullen Bryant describes the annual exchange between hunters and their unsuspecting prey in verse two of his poem, "To a Waterfowl: "
"Vainly the fowler's eye
Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong,
As, darkly painted on the crimson sky,
Thy figure floats along."
Migration, for a shorebird, is a challenging undertaking, with dehydration, lack of food, veering off course, battling wind currents, and, always, the feared fowler posing threats.
In this series, we’re discovering how our life’s journey resembles that of a shorebird’s migration. Our journeys, like theirs, are fraught with challenges that can derail, discourage or distract us from our heavenly destination.
In his book, "Pilgrim’s Progress," John Bunyan describes the dangers that his protagonist, Christian, encounters on his way to heaven – dangers of the world, the flesh and the devil:
1. Dangers of the World - The pursuit of money and possessions can choke out spiritual growth, making a believer forget his dependence on his Maker. Pressure to compromise tempts believers to lower moral standards, to avoid being judged or criticized; conformity leads one to trust cultural standards, media messaging, and popular opinion rather than divine truth.
“Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
2. Dangers of the Flesh – Preferring ease, immediate comfort and self-gratification over spiritual discipline, sacrifice and obedience to God, we become lazy in prayer, give in to impure desires, and embark on ego trips, needing to protect our reputations rather than seeking God’s glory and doing His will.
“The concern of the flesh is death, but the concern of the spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)
3. Dangers of the Infernal Enemy – The devil is a very real adversary, actively seeking to deceive, destroy and discourage souls through lies and spiritual opposition. He chips away at a believer’s passion for God and seeks to undermine his faith with fear, doubt and spiritual exhaustion.
“Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
Because birds fly in flocks when migrating, they become easy prey for hunters. In the past, huge numbers of birds were killed for their food or, like the egret, killed for their feathers, which were used for women’s hats.
State laws failed to stop the slaughter, and bird populations dropped dramatically. The snowy egret, sandhill crane and wood duck were in danger of vanishing. The passenger pigeon was wiped out entirely.
To fix this, the U.S. and Great Britain, acting for Canada, signed the wildlife protection treaty in 1916. In 1918, Congress passed the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, putting that treaty into legal effect. Today, the treaty protects more than 1,000 native bird species in the U.S.
Just as migratory birds are protected from danger, God promises to protect those who believe and trust in Him. Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, walking and talking with Him in prayer, reading His Word, obeying His commands and doing His will, we can ward off danger as we journey toward the Promised Land.
“The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will guard your soul. The LORD will guard your coming and going both now and forever.” (Psalm 121:7-8)
“…Thy figure floats along.”
To access the entire poem, visit https://poets.org/poem/waterfo...
