Are You Nesting In A Good Place?

"Some men ease themselves like setting hens into the nest of death."
- John Steinbeck -

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As a member of the praise team at church,

once or twice a month I'm scheduled to sing at multiple services.

Between Sunday services, I was sitting on the church patio enjoying the beautiful spring weather.

Is Your Nest Safe?
Image courtesy of Irina Blok and http://unsplash.com

NOTE: Clicking on most of the following images will reveal a larger sized version, in case you want to examine the nitty-gritty details.

Sitting alone quietly,

I noticed a long fiber stirring in the wind, hanging from one of the propane heaters. Thinking that it might melt or catch fire the next time the heater was lit, I got up to remove it.

A Propane Heater on the Church Patio
Original image by @creatr

Looking more closely,

I discovered that a bird had built a nest at the top of the heater just under its watershed cap.

In the bird's eyes, it probably seemed like a really good idea at the time. After all, if you look at the heater, you'll see that the cap extends broadly out on all sides, providing an excellent umbrella to keep water off.

Furthermore, this particular platform for a nest is located about seven feet above the ground, far from possibility of flooding. The pole that supports the heater head is narrow and quite slick, likely impossible for squirrels and other predators to climb.

Therefore, the bird was no doubt convinced that it had found a prime nesting place, somewhere to raise its young in peace and safety.

In the closeup below,

you can see one edge of the clever bird's nest, bits of highly flammable material peeking out over the edge of the fire chamber.

Looking more closely, I could see there was a nest on top...
Original image by @creatr

But, you can see the problem, right?

The poor, naive bird had chosen the business end of a propane heater for its nesting place.

Propane and ignition controls.
Original image by @creatr

Check out the controls.

All it would take is for someone, unaware of the nest, to turn the dial and click the ignitor button. Before you know it, the bird and its offspring would be cooked. From a human perspective, the danger of the nest catching fire and dropping flaming pieces on people below is also obvious.

Loosening the retaining screws,

I lifted off the cap and removed the nest. I was glad to discover that it contained neither eggs nor dead birds.

Thank God, the nest was unoccupied.
Original image by @creatr

Having eliminated the fire danger,

my mind moved on to contemplating the situation and imagining it as a metaphor for how and where we build our lives.

We all build our lives on ideas and beliefs.

We think that we've examined those ideas, and that they provide a reasonable foundation for us and our children. Just as the bird in my story had concluded that it had an excellent nesting place.

By most measures, it did.

However, the bird had overlooked the underlying reality, something beyond its ability to grasp. It was in danger, and had put its family in danger without understanding or realizing the fact.

Are you nesting in a good, safe place?

I'd like to suggest that it may be worth your while to consider that question carefully.

As you can tell by reading my writing, I have become convinced that the man commonly known as Jesus is in reality the one who created the universe and everything in it. He is our Creator, and—that being true—it behooves us to recognize and acknowledge him as such.

What I find remarkable and amazing is this:

Jesus is a kind and benevolent Creator. He invites us to become part of his endless kingdom.

Jesus is spoken of throughout scripture as a Rock, as a solid foundation for our lives. I would not want my life built on anything or anyone else. My trust for this life and for the future are entirely in Jesus' hands.

The business end of the heater.
Original image by @creatr

Don't build your life in a bad place.

I invite you to read John's book and consider carefully what Jesus had to say about himself. Consider grounding your life on reality, on a solid foundation, on the Rock who is Jesus Christ.

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"Even the sparrow finds a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
    my King and my God."
- Psalm 84:3 -

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~FIN~

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