Monday, March 26, 2007

The Love Of An Asian Koel

I was walking with Sasha at the park opposite my block. Not long into our stroll, Sasha was attracted to a flock of crows and started chasing them. When we went closer to where the birds were, I saw another bird of a different breed with its wings wide-opened.

Soon the crows came back and started surrounding that one bird again, which I later found out was an Asian Koel. Its red eyes were distinctively different from the rest though it may be easily mistaken for a crow if one just gave it a glance.

Anyway, the vicious crows started pecking on the Asian Koel but it stood its grounds as if it was protecting something. Truly it was - under its wings was a young Koel. I figured it might have fallen off from the nest when it was learning to fly.

The adult Koel was definitely injured as I could see red patches on its body and the feathers were ripped off on some parts of its wings. The crows relentlessly attacked the pair. Sasha was trying to chase the crows away. They did each time she barked at them but the scavengers/pests would keep coming back and the attacks went on.

Well, I have this feeling the adult and young Koels did not make it. This is part of the law of nature.

But as I walked on, my heart suddenly sank. I realised that the adult Koel's protection over its chick was like that of Christ's over His people. He will do all He can to protect them - even to the point of death. His hands, feet and sides would be pierced; He would bleed but enduring these pains, He will still spread His wings of love over His children.

If I am touched by the love of the adult Koel over its own, I had better be touched by Christ's sacrifice on the cross for my sins. I am definitely not sinless but I can choose to sin less.

Though I can strive towards that, the fact that I decided to go against God by sinning even if it is only once, I am already crucifying Him all over again. But you know what? I believe Jesus would go through it again, simply for the fact that He loves me and every one else in this world.

If you and I have a heart and a mind, we should be touched by Christ's death and love for His creation. We should also be careful not to hammer another nail into His wrist.

Well, I know it is easy for me to share the above-mentioned. Doing it is a totally different thing. There will definitely be struggles in striving to live a life of holiness and godliness but so long as one keeps working on it, I believe he would have pleased God.

How interesting it is for me to encounter that Asian Koel during this season of Easter.

They placed the cross upon His back
Yet, no one seemed to care
The weight across His shoulders
Seemed more than He could bear.
The spikes were driven in His hands
And pounded through His feet
The ones who had convicted Him
Were cheering in the street.
The crown of thorns placed on His head
Brought blood upon His brow
The day of prophecy had come
He had to face it now.
The sins of man were laid to rest
He bore a heavy loss
The agony He must have felt
As He hung there on the cross.
The innocent blood of Jesus Christ
Was shed for all to see
The Son of God was crucified
And died for you and me.

"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." Psalm 91:4

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:5-11

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

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