ARE YOU SPIRITUALLY KNOCKED OUT

ARE YOU SPIRITUALLY KNOCKED OUT


Psalms 107:26-31 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

As my wife and I were working inside, we heard something hit the window. Looking out and seeing nothing, we stepped outside and there on the front porch was the still body of a woodpecker — a beautiful yellow-bellied sapsucker.

He had flown into the window, and, we presumed, broken his neck. My wife picked him up for a moment and stroked the red cap on his head and laid him back down.

Just then, I saw an eye blink. I was holding a utility cloth in my hand, and I picked him up and covered him, all but his head. His heart was racing wildly, and I felt just a twitch of his foot. I realized that this now helpless creature, if only knocked out, could revive at any moment and give me quite a pecking.
Instinctive caution urged me to leave the bird there and hope he would come around, and that was my plan, that is, until I saw the neighbor’s big black cat approaching in his most stealthy stalking mode.

I took the bird inside and found a box with a lid — if he revived and got loose in the house he probably would kill himself trying to get out.

I placed the bird-in-the- box in a quiet place and went about my work. About half an hour later, I walked close enough to the box to detect any activity, but there was none. Then my wife came in and spoke to me. Suddenly, there was scratching and a flurry inside the box that made me fear the lid would not remain closed.

We took the box outside, and carefully began to open the lid. As it opened an inch or so, the bird burst out and flew vigorously away to resume his place in God’s grand scheme of things.

As I saw that cat approaching earlier, I remembered 1 Peter 5:8 – - “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour”

That little bird, in his natural healthy state, would never fall prey to the cat, but he was knocked out.

My thoughts went back 25 years to a time in my life when I was spiritually “knocked out, and got to my wit end” I was dead in my sin and as helpless to ward off the attacks of the enemy of my soul as that little bird lying on my porch.

Then a wonderful, loving Savior reached down and picked me up. He sheltered me and let me know I was loved and protected — I only needed to trust Him. He didn’t put me in a box, but he gave me strength and the desire to “vigorously fly away” spiritually to take my place in His wonderful design for my life in His kingdom.

Don’t wait to be knocked down before you come to yourself. Your case may be different from the prodigal son who came back alive.