It has been awhile since I have written about the Robin who built her nest on my balcony. If you remember the story, the mother robin chose an extremely awkward and unsafe place to build her nest. I clearly remember poking a bit of fun at her by saying that she "failed nest placement 101". I had ended up rearranging my entire balcony for this little bird family. We were having a heat wave and I dragged my big red umbrella over to give shade in the heat and cover hr from the thunderstorms that kept rolling in with gale force each evening (now you should be caught up). Of course the strong image of a red umbrella (representing the blood of Christ ) covering the mother who covered the children was not lost on me. In spite of how this story ends, I still have that amazing image to hold onto...

"So where are the adorable pictures of baby birds?" you are asking...There are none. "What happened?" you wonder out loud (you really should watch that...people are going to think you are crazy). A blue jay happened. Nature happened. Enemies happened. Ugh...death happened.

Everything in nature seems to have an enemy. Blue Jays are beautiful birds, but they are also thieves and murderers. They swoop in on unprotected nests and eat the eggs while the parents are gathering food. They particularly enjoy bright blue baby robins eggs, of which there were four in the nest on my balcony.

The mama robin and I had really gotten into a rhythm...I would peak out the window, she would give me the "death stare" as if she was going to fly right at me and peck me right in the eye...I would go away (Lol).. Eventually each day, I had to water my plants and fill my hummingbird feeders, so I would slowly go out on the balcony, talking to her quietly, explaining that I was just watering the plants and would be leaving soon. After awhile she would let me do so, watching me with her steely little bird eyes...following my every move.

One day I went outside to check on my new friends. The mother robin was out gathering food. I looked into the nest, and instead of four eggs, there were only three! I couldn't believe how angry and sad I was! I had gotten quite attached to the little guys, but obviously that blue jay that I had seen stalking the nest, had stolen an egg. Now there were three...

I checked again the next morning, and to my utter dismay, all of the eggs were gone. The perfect center of the hollowed nest was pulled up and tattered, having been plucked repeatedly as each egg was stolen...each baby killed. My heart sunk. I had envisioned taking pictures of these little ones as they grew...what are the odds that you get a view like this of new life (it would have been just like the nature channel). I had gotten completely attached and now, as quickly as the perfect little nest had appeared out of nowhere...the eggs were all gone. It had been close to three weeks since the mama bird had chosen my home to make hers, and I was suddenly grieving the loss. We had been connected, even if for just a brief time...she was a breathing living creature, fostering the care for new life...something so precious...

It has taken me awhile to write about it because nothing turned out the way that I had expected. I had been so excited... But we never know what will actually happen, when death will step in...when an enemy will attack.

As Christians, we have an enemy of our souls. He stands at a distance, like the blue jay, watching, waiting for the moment that we lay helpless and unprotected, to swoop in and kill. He doesn't want to maim or to hurt, he wants to eat us alive.

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." - 1Peter5:8

"But that scripture isn't about a blue jay Amanda, it's about a lion" you say quickly correcting me. I get it, you are right, but in the "Bird realm" the blue jay is the lion. He is big. He is strong. He is loud. He is aggressive. He kills things. He prowls. He watches. He waits. He preys.

I would be remiss not to allow God to speak truth to me through this death as much as he spoke to me about life through the red umbrella. This is a warning about being alert. This is a reminder that we have an enemy, and even if we aren't aware that he is watching, waiting to make his move, he is.The bible clearly states that Satan is our enemy. But it also says that we are given power and authority over our enemies through the blood of Jesus Christ.

"I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all power of the enemy; nothing will harm you." - Luke 10:19

There are scores of scriptures about enemies...but What happens when we are the villain? When we are the ones who are the enemy? When we allow our lives to be ruled by the evil one instead of God, we get put into the same category as the enemy, we become the blue jay. All of the feelings that I had about this nasty, murderous, horrible bird, that was actually me before I accepted Christ. That is still me if I do not stay under his perfect covering and obey his ways for living...

"You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why the scripture says: 'God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.' Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." - James 4:4-10

I...You, are born enemies of the Lord. We are big nasty obnoxious blue jays...squawking loudly...staking out our property...showing our strength and pridefully striking at anything weaker than ourselves as we stalk our prey and eat up those around us who are defenseless. Sounds like the corporate world a little huh? Or like what the world is constantly droning at us from every port of technology, "You deserve it, you are number one, you are the best, the strongest, the wealthiest, the prettiest, the smartest....squander, maim, kill your enemy...you are the victor, you are in control, you are the winner...." On and on it goes, shouting at us relentlessly.

The truth is that we are in control of very little...perhaps you are in control of choosing your outfit for the day, what you will eat, what color you car is...but in some countries, like Malawi, where I am going in a few weeks, you don't even get to choose those things... We aren't really in control of anything, God is. And unless we are with Him in Christ...we are His enemy.

If we are aligned with God through Jesus, God promises to care for us...He protects us from enemies, He provides for our every need. The one who "IS" in control will care for us like a shepherd for his sheep, and our lives will lack nothing. The mama robin was on her own. She had a mate who watched for enemies, but he was not able to protect her or her babies. The babies died before they ever had a chance. That is how we come into this world...we are dead spiritually because of what happened in the Garden of Eden. We need the perfect covering of the blood of Jesus to protect us. He is in control...even of our enemies. He will take care of us and protect us all the days of our lives.

Who would you rather be? The baby robin eggs, easy prey, never to fulfill their potential...or the fully protected and loved child of the king?

"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quite waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest Valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." - Psalm 23