Wings of the Condor

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Jesus Christ throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen”.  Ephesians 3: 20-21

The girl woke up with an oppressive headache and a more oppressive, depressive irritation in her core. She wanted to crawl out of her skin, to run and hide until the fury within her passed. She was going to hide in her bed where the world would be safe from her, but instead she decided to go with her original plan despite the inner turmoil. She decided to go to the zoo. 

In her past, she had been known to take a time out from life by visiting her local zoo.  She decided to ‘resurrect’ this idea in these days before Easter.

Her church was taking time for prayer and fasting. Abstain to obtain: Abstaining from something with the goal of obtaining something. She was encouraged to be creative.

Her goal for Lent, she decided, was to intentionally abstain from seeking comfort in food in order to obtain comfort in Jesus, her only true Comforter. 

Today was a spectacular day to begin as she woke up in a thoroughly uncomforting state which progressively worsened. There seemed to be so many inconvenient truths blocking her way.  She almost pivoted back to bed. 

When she got to the zoo, it was a sunny, clear day. This was a happy place bustling with activity as excited laughter and joy rose up from the crowd. She intended to walk the zoo with worship music in her ears to seek God’s face in the midst of her unrest. Her earbuds, however, wouldn’t cooperate so she begrudgingly added this to her growing pile of muck and instead chose to concentrate on the birdsong instead.

After a bit of a walk, she found a bench in the shade of a Palo Verde tree in front of the Condor exhibit. The birdsong wasn’t helping and she was admittedly heavy with complaint, frustration and tears.

“What is happening in this ridiculous life of mine?” She cried out to God. 

“I’m trying to seek Your face and all I encounter are blockades.” 

After a series of deep breaths, she decided on a different tactic. She began to pray for her family, thinking she perhaps needed a focus off of herself. She turned to the Scripture of the day: Ephesians 3:20-21. It had been a prayer of hers for years so she began repeating it. 

A series of families of all shapes and sizes paraded past her and the condors. Many commented on the somewhat unattractiveness of the birds but they were especially interested in the wingspan of the condor. There was a display where you could measure your own wingspan against that of the condor’s. She watched as most of the families did.

Though she did not turn, she became acutely aware of the shade tree behind her. It was like a picture of the wingspan of the condor, or more specifically, she realized, the wingspan of Jesus. Jesus Who was backing her up despite her feeling like a somewhat unattractive bird herself.

She began to pray.

“Like a condor’s wingspan, You, Lord, strengthen my own wingspan by adding Your mighty shadow to mine. In this way, You strengthen me in ways I could not ask for or imagine.”

She looked up just as a condor whose wings had been tightly folded, opened wide its wingspan displaying its endangered species number for all to see. He stood proudly unmoving in his stance.

She continued her prayer, lifting her arms heavenward, mimicking the bird.

“You, Lord, strengthen my wingspan as You number me among Your children just as the condors are numbered. And just as these condors before me raise their wings, so do I raise mine and surrender to Your power to comfort.”

Her inward change was subtle at first. The birdsong became louder as unseen birds seemed to join the chorus. A gentle breeze fluttered her papers and the leaves of the trees all around. And then, almost imperceptibly, she felt the weight of the muck of her angst being lifted. Lifted by the strong wings of His comfort as He, once again, claimed her as His own.

Psalm 91 popped into her head:

He will cover you with his feathers. Under his wings you will find refuge is faithfulness is a shield and a rampart

Psalm 91

From tightly wound to opened wide, this is the miracle of seeking first His kingdom, she thought. 

It has been a positively spectacular day after all.

Under His wings,

Anne/JCIM
March, 2024