A Majestic Sight

Phil and I were driving in the country yesterday, on our way to a nearby town. And this is what we spotted. A Great Blue Heron, majestic and breathtaking. These herons are usually a good four feet tall, and this one looked every bit of it. This was at a small pond by the side of the highway. When I spotted it, we drove past and turned around to go back. Of course, parking in front of the pond scared him away into the field farther back. But that’s all right, we were patient. Gradually, he walked closer and closer toward us and into the pond. This bird’s knees bend backwards from the way ours do, so it’s quite a sight to see him walk on those long legs. Also the length of his neck is amazing. Yet, when he settled in the field, you see the neck is gone. I guess it’s somehow tucked in. Did I mention that it was raining quite hard? In these pictures, you can see the raindrops hitting the surface of the pond. We weren’t all that close to him, but fortunately I had my long lens camera with me. So there we sat for the longest time, with the car window open and my camera pointing out of it. The rain poured in, drenching me, my clothes, and the car interior. I didn’t care. Time seemed to stand still. It was just the two of us, the rain, and the bird. And the silence. I am convinced this a small miracle sent to me by God. Do you recall my post of yesterday? It was about Elijah. When he was worn out and exhausted, he ran away and prayed for God to let him die. And instead, God whispered to him, sent an angel to feed him, and gave him new hope. I wonder if an angel can come in the form of a bird? The Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove. Wonderful things can happen when we run to God instead of away from him. So today I am truly amazed, dumbstruck, and thankful. I think of yesterday’s rain, the strangely beautiful bird, the silence, and hear the whisper of God. Right in my ear.