THOUGHT: Being a cop can be a frightening and dangerous job. Just the mention of "Policeman," brings up grainy images of HILL STREET BLUES, Turnpike Rage, CHIPS, Steven Segal and New York terrorism.
Roy Northrup is a policeman in Vancouver, British Columbia where his job is often one of "Being There" presence. He stands on a street corner watching traffic, guiding tourists and keeping the peace.
While calmly doing his job one afternoon, he felt a tug on the right leg of his uniform. He expected to see a small child asking him to "help find Mommy." No child. Instead, he was greeted by the quacking urgency of a Mallard duck. She quacked and tugged at his uniform and then quacked some more.
Roy pushed her away, urging her to waddle toward the lake. No go. Just more tugging and louder quacking.
So Roy crouched down and asked her what she wanted. She turned and urgently quacked her way over to a large storm drain where she sent up a fearful bedlam of quacks and squeaks.
Roy looked into the drain with her, and then placed a call to his supervisor. Minutes later a City of Vancouver maintenance truck roared up to Roy's corner station. Tools in hand, the crew clattered out and began removing the grate from the storm drain. All the while, Mamma Mallard quacked encouragement from her place of safety beside Officer Northrup.
Deep in the storm drain, 8 tiny fluffs of feathers cowered in fear. Here was the cause of Mama Mallard's pain! Her ducklings had fallen through the grate to certain death!
But, Officer Northrup came to the rescue! Roy and the other workers lifted each duckling to safety - and then watched as Mama and brood quacked off to the lake.
Maybe (quite possibly) God is like Officer Northrup, ready and eager to hear our deepest pain, eager to understand our needs, strong enough to provide full protection.
encounter: Where in your life do you need God's protection? How have you experienced God's protection in your life?
1 comment:
I love this story, and I have one of my own. In 1981, while serving as missionaries, my parents were beaten to death. Often when I tell this story and talk about God's protection, people get nervous and end the conversation. God gave me a very clear answer about His protection a few years after it happened. I'm interested to hear the thoughts of others on God's protection when tragedy occurs to God's people. Here's a hint. It's the same protection God gave to Stephen when he was bludgeoned to death with large rocks.
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