Of 'Coons and Dogs

One morning as I was driving along an old paved road through the middle of the countryside on my way to work, I saw something I'd never seen before. It had me laughing and puzzled at the same time. I finally made myself turn around and drive back so I could take a picture with my phone, because I figured it would make a good blog post someday.

That would be a telephone pole. But not just any ordinary telephone pole. This telephone pole comes equipped with the added accessory of a raccoon.

It wasn't until I drove by the second time to get the picture that I noticed a couple of other details. First, even though this poor guy was as high as he could safely get, he was still trying to climb even higher. He was trying to step up onto the very top of the center pole, but there just wasn't enough room for all four paws. Second, the reason for his attempts at climbing as high as possible was positioned at the base of the pole: a large, yellow lab.

This coon had been chased by a big dog, and he went for the nearest and tallest structure he could find. He was now in the wide open view of everyone and everything who happened to be watching...

But he was safe.

So it is when we find safety and refuge in the LORD, our Rock. Sin and evil chase after us and bear down on us. We are forced to make a choice.

Like the raccoon, we can seek shelter under earthly solutions that look safe - leafy bushes right ahead, or maybe behind the barn just beyond. But our destroyer is on our heels, ready to flush us out of the bushes or tackle us behind the barn.

Mr. Raccoon was smart. He knew the shrubbery and walls weren't going to protect him for long. That left two other options: a large leafy tree a few hundred feet away, or the skinny telephone pole straight ahead.

Both of those are good choices. In fact, had I been the 'coon, I'd have preferred the tree. Easier to climb, more branches to hold onto, and some shade to keep me cool while this dog stares me down all day.

But to run to the tree would mean more opportunity for the destroyer to catch up and overpower. The protection would be great, but the path to get there is longer and more dangerous.

God always provides a way out. It would be so much more convenient if He would give us a tree every time we are pursued. But that's not always how He works. Sometimes we get a telephone pole.

It's close, and we can reach it in time. But the climb to the top is straight up and hard work. If we let go, it's a free fall straight to the ground into the jaws of the predator. Not only that, but anyone paying attention might see us out in the open. Exposed.

But it's safe. Because God is there. He will not let us fall into harm when we have run to Him.

Besides, once we reach the top, we'll find that we just can't climb quite high enough to be satisfied.