Hello,
There are two nests under my deck.
One is a robin’s nest. The
other is a wasp’s nest. Herein
lies one of the bigger differences between Jesus and me (besides divinity, that
is).
As spring came upon us, I noticed the construction of a bird’s nest
under my deck. I was afraid that
it was a barn sparrow that was hoping to homestead in the joists of my deck, so
three times I interrupted the construction by pulling the nest down before it
was competed. Soft hearted as I
am, I knew that I wouldn’t have the chutzpah to tear it down once eggs were
laid in it, so I tried to keep ahead of my determined squatters.
Obviously, the birds won out, and despite my watchful guard the nest was
completed and filled. Given that
it is a family of robins, I wasn’t quite as upset in my failure than if it had
been barn swallows. Barn swallows
tend to be messy and they have a habit of dive-bombing anyone or anything that
nears their nest. Robins, I have
discovered, are far more docile.
As a matter of fact the other day I walked right under the nest and the
only thing that happened was the birds went silent. So, I have resolved to let these nesters stay under my deck.
The wasps, however, are a different story. Wasps are not just pesky. They see me as their enemy. They seem to have forgotten that this is my house, and when
I come near they approach me as Granny Clampet cocking her shotgun and ready to
fire on trespassers like me. So
last night when dusk had fallen and the wasps had all nestled into their nest,
I slinked up to their nest with a spray can of “wasp killer” in my hand and I
blasted their nest. The spray
covered their nest like Styrofoam, and underneath the foam I could see the
wasps unsuccessfully trying to escape their demise.
This is where the divide between Jesus and me that I spoke of comes
in. Robins, I allow to nest on my
house, wasps I do not. However, Jesus
welcomes robins….and Jesus welcomes wasps. How do I know this of Jesus? Well….he welcomes me.
Sometimes I am a robin…a little messy, but not on the attack. And sometimes I am far more like a
wasp, stinging Jesus over and over again by what I say and do. Whatever the case, Jesus opens the door
of his house every week and says to me, come on in and nest here for a
while. Squatters, no matter the
degree of their peskiness are welcome to make their nests in the joists of Jesus’ house. Including me. Including you.
But more than just allowing us, robins and wasps, to nest in his house,
Jesus takes an interest in us nesters.
Jesus also nests in our nests and makes our nests his home taking the
sting out of our stingers and the mess out of our messiness.
Looking for a place to make your nest? Looking for a place where you are welcome? Looking for a place where you will be
transformed from pests to beloved?
Looking for a place where you will not be sprayed with the killing foam
that comes squirting at you everyday from the aerosol cans of the world? Wasp or robin you will find that the
doors of the Lord’s house, the church, are open to you. Come and see…..you’ll find a nesting
place in the house of the Lord!
Have a great week.
God’s grace and peace,
(ggap)
Pastor Jerry Nuernberger
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