Lessons from An Old Hushwing

Psalm 16:5-6, “Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!”

     It's always interesting when we begin to investigate facts about animals. Like humans, God made them all different. They all care instinctively for themselves. They were all created for a purpose, although I question the pesky raccoons and mosquitoes😊, Many were also created for our enjoyment. Not always the ones captive but the ones we can hear or see in the wild, can at times bring smiles to our faces.

     Today, we are going to learn some new things this animal can teach us. Let's see if you can guess the animal from the clues.

-        My ears are wonky but effective

-        I can swivel my toes

-        The tiniest of my kind is 5-6 inches tall, weighing 1 ½ ounces

-        Once one of my kind traveled 70 miles over water from the shore of New York

-        We don't all make the same sound. Some of us hiss, some of us whiny like a horse, even some like a sharpening sound, but most of us do make a very familiar sound

     Have you guessed it? Alright, alright here's a couple more.

-        In a group we are called a parliament

-        We can rotate our neck 270 degrees

-        We hunt at night and love mice

     Hoo-hoo, who are we 😊

     Yes, an owl. A pretty neat bird to learn about. We have one that lives by us and in the early hours or late at night in the quiet we can hear their famous ‘hoo-hoo’. So, what can we learn?

·       Stay focused- Hebrews 12:2

What makes an owl a great predator? They don't let distractions take their focus off their goal. They stay focused, zero in, and get their meal. The devil will always try to distract us from prayer, Bible study, spending time with God, or anything good and godly. Like an owl we need to stay focused, fix our eyes on Jesus, tune out the distractions and our prize is our heavenly home with Jesus.

·       Be ‘who’ you are- Ephesians 4:4-7, 15-16

Owls are interesting. They like to be awake while almost everyone is asleep. They don't nest like most birds. They like being alone more than in a crowd. They don't worry about animals around them. They just go about their business living as God created them. We all have been given unique gifts and qualities from God. All God asks is that we use those gifts to uplift Him. Like the owl we simply need to be who we are and not let this world or satan snuff out our light. God loves us as He created us, and He will put people in our paths to uplift not tear down.

·       Trust in a wise friend- Proverbs 15:2, 13:20, 19:20

They say owls are very wise. That is probably because they know when to be silent. They are silent so they can hear the little animals scurrying through the forest. Their hearing is 10 times better than a human's. Oh, to learn to be silent as an owl and gain wisdom from those who have been there, done that. Also, in our silence we can learn to hear God more clearly and tune out the devil.

·       Live off the land- Leviticus 25:23

If it works for God's created animals, shouldn't it work for us also, His creation? Not only did God create animals, fish, and birds, He created plants, fruits, trees, and so much more. Before the convenience of the grocery store or restaurants people had to live off the land. It may not always be quick and convenient but if it is possible and you have a green thumb, you should try a garden, maybe grow a fruit tree or fruit-bearing bushes. With all the stuff being put into making foods ‘convenient’ it can be beneficial to live more from what you can grow. Trust God to provide and pray He leads you in the right choices.

·       Glide through the dark times- John 8:12

Owls are a night creature. God created them that way and they take it with ease soaring above and seeing all that goes on below. Our dark times won't be as easy as an owl, but we can learn from them. Hard times will come but God promises to be our light through them. Like an owl we just need to spread our wings and glide through them. Tomorrow's another day and the light will come.

·       Be observant- 1 Corinthians 16:13

An owl doesn't swoop down and grab the first thing that crosses its path. It waits, listens, and watches. If you're lucky you can see an owl sitting on its perch tilting its head from side to side, being quitely observant. We shouldn't always just swoop in and jump. In all things we should slow down and be observant. Seek the Lord's advice and let Him lead us in the right decisions. We need to be patient, wait, watch, and listen. All good opportunities will come our way in God's time.

     Hopefully you were able to learn a few new things from our friend, the wise owl. Maybe you could add some more. Above all, I hope you choose to trust the Lord to lead in all things in life. With so many bad things happening around us and maybe in your life, I will leave you with one last lesson. Relax, smile, after all life’s a ‘hoot’. Take time to Google an owl’s legs. In all that life throws at us God knows we need to take time for a laugh or two. Each day try to find something that makes you laugh or at least smile. There is always a rainbow in every cloud. Have faith, God is working all out for good.

P.S. An Old Hushwing is what farmers call an owl 😊

Although the Lord has given us to many beautiful things and animals in nature to learn from and how we can learn to be a better person, more like Christ, and so much more. We can never tire of learning from scripture. It's in the pages of the Bible we can truly know our Savior and have a relationship with Him. It's in the pages we find the answers we seek daily. And it's in the pages of the Bible we can find the joy the Lord wants to give. Let's continue our study on Pathway to Joy with lesson 2.

Lesson 2- Bask in the Grace of God.docx

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