The Doe

I read this a while back and it got me thinking:

            The muffled, distant sound had broken the quiet reverie of his walk across the meadow. The sharp barking of a dog almost irritated him. It was abrasive in that tranquil setting. As the barking grew louder, his eyes scanned the meadow, looking for the culprit.

            Suddenly a small doe broke through the edge of the woods. Now he understood. Leaning against the fence post, the man watched with compassion as the doe cut across the broad expanse of meadow. She was running straight toward him. He stood motionless, not wanting to add the fear of man to the animal’s frustration. As the frightened fawn leaped the fence, she staggered. The chase had taken its toll. Her wet coat gleaming in the sun, the doe stopped, took a few steps in one direction, then, ears held high, looked back toward the sound of the barking. The dog had broken through the woods.

            Eyes wide with fright, confused, worn out, panting wildly, the doe surveyed her surroundings, quickly discovering the man standing beside the fence. Glancing back for an instant at the dog in hot pursuit, then viewing the expanse of open field before her, she turned weakly and wobbled straight toward the man. She approached him without fear and buried her head in his tummy. Compassion flooded his heart and filled his eyes. She had found a protector.

I am the doe. Where do I run when I’m spent, afraid, in trouble, weak, hurt, needing? God wants me to know more of who He is so I can trust in Him and bury myself in the security of all He is. He is waiting for me to come to Him who is able and willing to protect me. Sometimes when trouble comes I’m too taken by surprise or too consumed by trying to out-run it that I look only at the trouble quickly approaching as it gains speed. I need to look around for Him instead. He is there and He is waiting even when He is still and quiet. He patiently, lovingly waits for me to look up and find Him-the only thing I need to survive. He longs for me to know Him so I can more fully rely on Him. I've learned that sometimes He designs troubles to somehow lead us straight to Himself! Pretty crazy. I might not see that I’ve been led there until I’m inches away from his fingers if I’ve been so preoccupied looking at the problems instead of looking for Him. So today I need to set my gaze on Him in the distance. I see Him there, waiting for me to run up to Him. How He so lovingly and mysteriously pursues me.