Owl in Waste Places – Finding God
We have a great horned owl in the neighborhood. I haven’t seen it yet, but I have heard it several times, as have family members. I know where it hangs out because twice after hearing it, a particular tree on the hill above us has been mobbed by crows, and crows hate owls.
The image isn’t mine; it’s a derivative work of one from Liz Guertin on Unsplash. I cropped it moderately and made it square.
The bible makes numerous references to owls with a variety of symbolism attached. There could be an entire Gleanings series on owls, but I’m just going to touch on the one today.
O Yahweh, hear my prayer!
And let my cry for help come to You.
Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress;
Incline Your ear to me;
In the day when I call answer me quickly.
For my days have vanished in smoke,
And my bones have been scorched like a hearth.
My heart has been stricken like grass and it has dried up,
Indeed, I forget to eat my bread.
Because of the sound of my groaning
My bones cling to my flesh.
I resemble a pelican of the wilderness;
I have become like an owl of the waste places.
I lie awake,
I have become like a lonely bird on a roof.
The owl of the waste places symbolizes a sense of abandonment by God. It’s a great metaphor as owls are typically very solitary birds.
Most of us have had those moments where we felt totally alone, abandoned and uncared for. In fact, loneliness is endemic in our society today. It’s ironic, because people are more connected than ever, but more isolated.
Where do we find connection when all ties seem broken, and we feel abandoned?
We find it in the Lord.
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will make you mighty, surely I will help you; surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10
Where do we find the Lord? We find Him in prayer and in His Word. We find Him in other believers at the local assembly. He promises that if we seek Him, we will find Him. (Jeremiah 29:13 and elsewhere).
When you are feeling as isolated as an owl of the waste places, reach out to the Lord. He is there even when you don’t feel His presence. Don’t let your feelings blind you to the truth.
Hold fast and call on His name.
Hallelu Yah (Praise God)
Be blessed,
Kevin
SUMMARY
I’ve heard our neighborhood’s great horned owl several times, and each time, I’ve watched the crows mob its tree in retaliation. That owl became a mirror for me of Psalm 102, where the psalmist compares his loneliness to “an owl of the waste places” and cries out to God from a place of abandonment.
TAKEAWAY
A local owl sighting (by ear, not eye) becomes the entry point into Psalm 102’s lament
The owl in Scripture symbolizes isolation, a fitting image since owls are solitary birds
Even when we feel abandoned, God’s Word and presence remain the answer to loneliness
Some thoughts on finding a good church
Live in Abbotsford? There are many good churches. This is where I attend.