I was sitting on the backyard swing, praying, considering the rest of the Lord on my heart, and watching my neighbor’s dog go crazy over the brownish-red calf staring at him through the other neighbor’s fence.

No, I don’t live on a farm, or even in the county. I just have neighbors who like to raise their own beef.

Birds flitted along the telephone wires. My dog lounged in the sun.

Then I heard a buzzing and a pop. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something fall to the ground. I ran to peer over the fence into my neighbor’s yard.

A downed bird fluttered beneath an overgrowth of palmettos.

Hurrying to my bike, I rode to the rescue, reminding the Lord not one sparrow fell to the ground without His notice. “Save this bird, Lord.”

With my neighbor’s help, we caught the wounded redheaded woodpecker. He could flit but not fly. The edge of his wing was broken. As I held it, it clasped my finger with its beak, its way of holding on to his own life and safety.

I stroked its head with my finger, telling it we were going to help. After a few minutes, it tucked its head against my finger and rested.

Oh, to be like that with the Lord. Just tucking our heads against him and resting.

How often does Jesus invite us into a place of rest and trust, but we are too wounded or frightened to let go? We cling with our “beaks” and struggle to be free.

Left alone on the ground, the bird would become prey to snakes and night animals. It would struggle for food and water.

The Lord is mindful of our weaknesses. He’s ready, willing, and able to rescue us. But we must trust Him.

I said that word the other day: “Trust. Lord, I trust you.” Meaning, here is my heart, my life, my fears and dreams. “I place them in Your hands for safekeeping.”

The word carried weight in my soul. I trust You, God. How often we say it but don’t mean it.

Had I been able to converse with the bird, I would have told it that its life was valued by me. In fact, its life was valued by God.

How much more your life, my life, is valued by the King of Kings.

My neighbor called animal rescue services, who pointed us to a woman who rehabilitates wildlife.

I rode my bike home with the bird in my hand, deposited it in the cat carrier, and took it to its temporary home.

I’ll check on it in a few weeks, see if it’s healed, then bring it back to my yard to set it free.

Sometimes the wounded need a safe place to heal. If some area of your heart and mind is wounded, find a safe place among the body of Christ. Ask the Lord to direct you.

Draw near to Him. Trust Him. Rest your head against His hand.

Don’t waste your life flitting when you have the ability to fly.

[Pictured: the rescued bird with his nurse.]