Drive By Hawking

It was terrifying, heart wrenching and positively car stopping. As I drove to Fresno, (I know what your thinking...and yes I spend a lot of time in the car) what looked like a big black basketball was quickly approaching from the northern sky. At first I was unsure what it was but it didn't take me long before I could identify this flying object. It was a huge bird of some sort. It's broad wings flapped like the long flowing strides of a painters brush that seem to beat in rhythm to some distant drum. As it approached the road that I was on I could tell that part of what I thought was it's size was not the bird itself but something foreign. In his talons he carried a fur ball that I later identified as a cat. Not a kitten and not a full grown cat but one that would be considered in their difficult teenage years. Just about the time I thought the bird would cross over my car, the fur ball was let go and fell quickly to the ground. I held my breath as it dropped not wanting to see the outcome of it's fall but at the same time I couldn't pull my eyes from what, I thought, was surely it's demise. Just before the unfortunate animal hit the ground I saw the hawk make a quick u-turn and start to dive towards the ground as if it was going back to pick up it's dropped package. Then it hit me the bird had intentionally dropped the animal to kill it and was going back to see if it had succeeded in it's mission. I have heard stories of how hawks, especially chicken hawks, will find their dinner many times roaming the country side, pick them up, fly high into the air and then drop the poor animal to it's death only to return to eat it. If it's not successful the first time they will return, pick the animal up again and repeat the process until their mission is complete. I was in shock at what I was watching and without thinking sprung into action. My job - save the cat. I slammed on my breaks, pushed my gear shift into reverse and stepped on the gas. Good thing there wasn't another car right behind me. While my car quickly responded with backwards motion my finger found the window button and I began to yell. "Get out of here. Get! Get! Leave that cat alone!" Clearly I presumed all birds spoke English. The hawk with little effort changed it's direction and quickly took to higher skies. As I came to a stop close to the scene of the crime I saw the cat struggle to get it's bearings. I had done my job....I, Kim Takemoto, saved the cat. I quickly looked to see if the hawk was still in sight. Oh it was still in sight and was circling as if to taunt the poor cat into death. Instincts must have told the cat to run because before I knew it the cat was up and making every effort to find hiding. The bird wasted no time and quickly saw his opportunity to finish the job. Because the cat ran away from my car I had no choice but to sit and watch what would happen next. As the bird swept down the surly frightened cat made a split decision to roll on it's back and put all four legs straight in the air. As the bird hit the cat you could hear the commotion. The cat whined, hissed, and grunted all at the same time. However, that is not where most of the noise was coming from. The screech that left the birds body was tormenting at best. It flapped it's wings to rise once again into the sky but was not able to move out of the reach of the cats claws. Yes you guessed it...the cat's reason for flipping on it's back was to use the only weapon he had against the hawk. It's claws. They danced around with both animals making noises that could only come in the heat of a battle. It all seemed to end as quickly as it started. The bird had broken loose and flew into the sky...not circling this time but in one direction, as if to get as far away from it's once-to-be dinner. The cat stayed close to the ground as it surveyed it's surroundings. The scene was over. I put my car in drive and began to drive. As I did I thought on what I had just witnessed. I was able to hold off the attack of the hawk but I could not save the cat. The cat at some point had to decide to save itself. It had to decide to use the one thing God had equipped it with in it's defense. Isn't this so true when it comes to our Christian lives. There are times when Satan attacks and many times that attack takes us by surprise. Another will see the impending danger and back their car up to pray and try to protect us. That prayer buys us some time to get our bearings. There comes a point however when we just have to roll on our backs and start fighting our attacker ourselves. Just like the cat, we have something that lies within that was given to us for those spiritual battles. It is more effective than anything that can be seen by the human eye. It is the Holy Spirit.

The difference is that the claws that allow us to defend ourselves are not ones of a teenage cat but the claws of the Lion of Judah. We don't have to be carried away by a surprise attack of Satan, nor do we have to rely on others to save us at every turn. We have the power within to fight and win! We have the power to take charge and become the one who walks in victory. We have the power to let the hawk know that his antics are a wasted effort to destroy us. We have the power! That power comes in the claws of the Lion of Judah. Let's stretch out our claws as the battle cries ensue knowing with confidence that if our God is for us then who can be against us. I love how this passage reads out of The Message translation...

So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us - who was raised to life for us! - is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: Romans 8:31-35


You and I have nothing to fear as long as we fight with the claws of Judah.
I love you dear ones and hope that today instead of scurrying around like a rat in a field you find yourself praying prostate before the Lord fighting with the strength of the Lion.


Blessed to be His!
Kim