THE CROW & THE HAWK

Monday was very windy. I was looking past the cluster of swaying bamboo at a clearing where I saw a crow stalking a hawk. Let me tell you, Japan has the biggest crows I have ever seen! These crows are almost as big as guinea fowl! This hawk was much bigger than the crow, yet the crow was attacking it. I didn’t wonder why until now but I think the crow may have been protecting the young in its nest. I watched intently to see what would come of the situation.

[PhotoCredit:jhcarterORhshriver]

I noticed that the crow was trying to peck at the hawk’s head but kept missing. This was interesting because the crow’s flight was clumsy and erratic while the hawk’s flight was steady and sure. The wind was the problem for the crow. It dawned on me that the hawk was used to high altitudes where strong winds exist and that’s why it was so composed despite these strong bamboo-swaying winds. The crow could not manage the wind and was all over the place trying to get to the hawk.

The hawk stopped flying and just hovered while the crow flew around and around fighting the wind trying to get back to the hawk. Then suddenly, the hawk darted behind the bamboo cluster and disappeared from my sight. The hawk knew how to hover on the wind, how to let the current flow around itself and waited for the right gust of wind to make good its escape. Immediately I thought: “There is a message in this!”
Isaiah 40:31 came to mind. It says:

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.” (KJV)

The Hebrew word for ‘wait’ has the connotation of a person being strong and robust as well as lingering, waiting with hope and with expectation. The scripture says those who wait on the Lord in this way shall renew their strength and mount up with wings like eagles. The Hebrew word for ‘mount up’ refers to being carried away, shooting forth, being carried up and being superior. The scripture compares this with how the wings of the eagle allow it to move.

In this case the hawk was doing just that! The crow panicked and was in frenzy but the hawk hovered, waiting, expecting the gust of wind to come and when it did, it used its wings in a superior way. Say this with me: While others faint all around me, I will wait on God expecting His help. I shall mount up with wings like eagles. I shall not faint!

God is amazing and His creation speaks loudly about how magnificent He is.

Praise Him now!