The Legend

There is a legend about a king who commissioned four artists to create a picture portraying perfect peace.  Each artist had his own picture: one, a beautiful sunset; one, a palace with a king surrounded by wealth; another, a man and his family at supper; and the one that pleased the king most—a   small bird in a storm, sleeping.

In the winning portrayal of true peace, the lightning shot through the darkness.  The sound of hissing could almost be heard as one imagined its great heat making contact with the cool air. Thunder and lightning must have echoed back and forth among the high cliffs of rock surrounding a great body of water. Waves pounded the sharp rocks of the cliff below, brutally beating them again and again as if they wanted to shove the rocks inland as far as they could.

The bolt of lightning forced one’s eye to travel along the bright light until it rested upon a small bird sheltered in the crevice of a rock.  This little sparrow, a brown “will fit in your hand” sparrow, had tucked his head into his back.  He was sleeping.  Sleeping peacefully in this terrible storm.  The lightning, as an arrow, was pointing to the breast of the sparrow—the place where his small heart was beating life within him. 

“In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to me, Flee like a bird to your mountain?  For see, the wicked are bending the bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they in darkness may shoot at the upright in heart.”  Psalm 11:1-2 

There are storms and dangers in the life of a Christian, some seen, and some unseen.  The hidden lightning reflected on the bird spoke of the hidden dangers of which we are unaware. 

[The workers of iniquity] “whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: that they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.”  Psalm 64:3-4.

The rock curved over the bird as if cradling it within two hands cupped together.  The crevice appeared dry and safe and warm. 

“For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock.”  Psalm 27:5.

So often in Scripture Christ is described as a Rock, an everlasting rock.

“So trust in the Lord forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”  Isaiah 26:4. 

“Rock of ages, cleft for me.  Let me hide myself in Thee.”  It is unusual to find a bird sleeping on a rock, for his natural sleeping quarter is a branch his feet can clutch. A bird’s primary defense is his eyes.  But here his head, nestled into his back, showed complete peace.  

“Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.  Are ye not much better than they?”  Matthew 6:26.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?  And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your (Father’s notice).”  Matthew 10:29. 

At this time, there are those who are searching for peace.  Their hearts ache for the security of the past.  We have no promise that things will get better.  We can look for peace in the solitude of nature, in “getting away” from our daily trials, but as soon as we come back, the trials still have to be dealt with.

We can look to financial security, our material possessions, for heart peace, but everything could be taken away within moments. We can look to our family and friends for comfort and security, but even they fail us at times.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world!”  John 16:33. 

This little bird in a storm depicts the whole life of a Christian.  Satan has arrows, but the Lord has arrows of His own. 

“And the Lord shall be seen over them, and His arrow shall go forth as the lightning . . . and the Lord of hosts shall defend and protect them.”  Zechariah 9:14-15.

There are storms in our lives, but they are the Lord’s storms.

“For He commands and raises the stormy wind . . . He hushes the storm to a calm and to a gentle whisper, so that the waves of the sea are still.”  Psalm 107:25-29. 

“You rule the raging of the sea; when the waves arise, you still them.”  Psalm 89:9. 

There are dangers in our lives, but the Lord is holding us in the palm of His hand.

“I have . . . covered you in the shadow of my hand.”  Isaiah 51:16.

And finally, the world might not be at peace, but we can have peace.  Perfect love—our Father’s perfect love—casts out fear and brings heart peace.  Do not be afraid.  Remember the sparrow.

“May the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, . . . keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:7.  Christine Cooper