Issue 1435 – the Lonely Goose – April 30, 2024
We frequently have both mourning and ring-necked doves at our back feeders. They typically come in pairs, but sometimes there are either three or a single. One of them might be missing a mate.
Seeing a single dove yesterday reminded me of a lonely goose near our Sherwood Park home. It was born there one summer and grew to maturity.
The geese spent most of their time at nearby farmers’ fields, fattening up for the long flight south. The flocks would then fly back to the lake for brief periods in the morning. All except for the lonely goose, which was unable to fly and was always left behind.
I could never get close enough to know the problem, but it had a problem with one of its wings. It was either missing one wing, or it didn’t develop fully. Even its swimming was ungainly, so it had other problems as well. I don’t know if it was born with problems or survived an attack by a predator.
During the day, it hung out with a flock of mallards, who seemed to reluctantly accept its presence. When the mallards bedded down for the night and other geese flew by, the loneliness showed.
Geese have a special call to one another when they’ve been separated and are trying to get back together. It’s a pitiful sounding sort of honk. When the other geese flew over, my lonely goose called it out virtually non-stop.
I thought it was going to have some company one night. It called, and a small flock of passing geese answered. They began to circle to land. As they made their final approach, a car backfired and frightened them off, leaving it alone.
The world is full of people who feel like that poor goose. We’ve all had times when we felt desperately alone, even among other people. It can be devastating because God created us to be in a relationship with Him and others.
The good news is that while we may have times of loneliness, we are never entirely alone or isolated.
For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in. Psalm 27:10
For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage. Psalm 94:14
Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. 2 Timothy 1:13-14
Hold fast to Him in lonely times. He understands the pain of loneliness and rejection.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV)