Lessons From a Mourning Dove

At our office recently, we have had an encounter with a mourning dove that can be a great lesson in persistence.

In mid-April, we noticed a mourning dove couple that was trying to build their nest on top the sign next out our door. Though we had nothing personal against this young couple trying to find a place to call home, we weren't sure that it would be the best place for her to nest in light of the foot traffic we have come in and out of our office. Since the female had not laid her eggs yet, we tried everything we could think of to persuade them to build their nest elsewhere including blocking access to the ledge they were trying to occupy. After a few days we were sure the mourning dove problem was solved.

About a week later, I arrived at the office and looked at the sign we had been trying to keep bird free. To my surprise Mrs. Mourning Dove was sitting there again with no intent of leaving as she waits for her young to be hatched. It was as if our sign was the only spot she would settle on to build her home. She was determined and she won out in the end.

When I face challenges to reaching my goals I think of this mourning dove and I move on with determination. Jesus said to keep asking, keep knocking, and keep seeking. I will do this until, like the mourning dove, I'm able to say "I've built my nest and, try as you might, you will not move me.”

A great devotional to check out.

I read a great devotional based on Tozer's writings today. http://www.cmalliance.org/devotions/tozer/tozer.jsp?id=545 The verse reference has to do with the impossibility of serving two masters. Tozers's writings focus on the need to eliminate the bad in our life in conjunction with receiving the good.
I particularly like the illustration of breathing that Tozer uses. He states "Exhalation is as necessary to life as inhalation. " Like our need to eliminate carbon dioxide from our body in conjunction with breathing in oxygen, we need to breath out all things contrary to Christ as we breath in the goodness that He brings.
May this reality be so in my life and in the message I share with others.

Thoughts on the Future

As I was at a prayer meeting at one of the churches near here tonight I spent some time reflecting on the future for our society. The prayer guide that we were using started with a time of prayer for our leaders, both political and spiritual.

I'm not typically a doom and gloom prophetic type of person, but I could not help but think that we may be on the brink of a catastrophe in our culture. I've often had this feeling that we are overdue for a collapse. It's not just the easy to identify sins of sexual immorality, drugs, abortion, and violence that lead me to this conclusion. We've also created an environment of self-centeredness, greed, and materialism. These are much more subtle traps and some day we will have to give account as a people for what we have done with our many blessings.

This is a scary thought as the father of three small children. I identify with the sentiments of Mark Heard in Satellite Sky:

I want to dance with my children.
I want the spark to ignite,
Before they find out what it's like
To be born into this time.