Vulnerable and Exposed

She appeared wounded at first. Perhaps she was merely tired, vulnerable. She landed silently upon the fence railing and then glided to the ground just below the feeder. She wobbled a bit as she walked and her wing seemed bent. She looked about her fertively and headed for the patch of sunlight-a single strip of bright white light beyond the feeder, shook herself like a lab emerging from a recent swim, and settled her body atop her feet, resting in the sun.

Then she turned her face toward the sun, closed her eyes, stretched out her tail, and extended her wings to their full length-every individual feather exposed to the sunlight.

I watched, spellbound, uncertain of why. Birds are frequent visitors to the feeder and birdbath outside my corner window. But something was different today. I couldn’t take my eyes of her.

Suddenly her partner swooped in beside her, settled to the ground, lifted his wing as if he were a white gloved traffic cop, and laid his head atop hers. They sat there-still. Time moved, but they did not.

A rogue cloud drifted to conceal the light so the partner raised his head searching for the sunlight. He stood, prodded the female with his feet and moved into the light. She followed. This time, though,, when she lay in the sun, he began to move her feathers with his beak, picking off insects and arranging them into the proper position. I was mesmerized.

As the male dove arranged his partner’s feathers, I heard the still small voice of Daddy God. His Spirit spoke quietly to my heart.

This is a picture of who I am for my people. I am the Sun!
When you are vulnerable, hurt, or wounded, I am the truth and the light bringing healing and restoration. Light heals, restores, renews. Seek me. Search for me and then position yourself to receive from me.

Did you notice, Jamie, how the bird exposed every single feather?

Yes, Lord.

Sometimes, to receive complete healing, you must expose your wounds. This makes you vulnerable, but the openness prevents the opportunity for infection to grow. It cuts off bitterness. It rips out the root.

And this is where the partner came in. This is a picture of who my body is to be for one another. Sit with the one who is vulnerable, protect them, wait with them, and when you can help them by moving their wounded feathers into place, do it. Prod them into the sunlight if need be, but lead them to the SON.

In a moment the birds stood, stretched their wings, flapped them back and forth and took off. They flew beyond the place of healing into restoration and renewal. They were not meant to live on the ground beneath my feeder. They were meant to fly.

And so, my dear, are you.

But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.”

Malachi 4:2 NLT