"Our Defender"

This little owl sits regally outside of our front church doors. Why do you ask?  Our church location is east of a highway and the area is not "built up" yet. We have 10 acres of land with turf farms and nurseries surrounding our property. This means that there are a lot of wildlife that travel through our property. Primarily, we had a family of sand hill cranes that loved our property and preferred to leave messes right in front of our doors! :) No one knows exactly why except that it happened consistently every week. Not only was it not pleasing to the eye but it could be carried into the building on the church goer's shoes! So, our pastor's wife thought that if she bought an owl and placed him in the portico then the other birds might not linger by the doors and leave anything behind. A lot of us laughed at her, but we had to later admit that she was correct. As long as our defender stands guard at the doors the floor is "protected" and mess free. 

As a Christian, Christ is our Defender! 

Psalm 18:1-2

"I love you, O Lord, my strength.

 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

    my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

    my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

He is always there for us. He never leaves us. He gave us the Holy Spirit who is always there to be our intercessor. As we live one day at a time in a world full of sin, Christ tells us that we need to live in the world but not be of the world. Follow after Christ. He came before us to be an example for us so that we can see how to live.

1 Peter 2:21

"For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:"

As I look at the owl certain word pictures come to mind when I think about how to defend my Christian faith and live my life so that it would be honoring and pleasing to God.

Psalm 141:3

"Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips."

1 Peter 3:15

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;"

Don't let your guard down. The world looks for any small cracks in your defense so that it can sneak in and damage your testimony for Christ. Look to your Defender and follow after Christ, your example.