Yesterday, late afternoon, I was heading down the driveway to go get the mail. And here came the deer, heading down the driveway in the opposite direction.
They veered off into the paddock … obviously they weren’t interested in “sharing the road.” Haha!
My immediate “blink” reaction was: “Don’t you dare eat my bunchberry dogwoods while I’m gone!”
Five minutes later here I came again. Thankfully the bunchberry dogwoods hadn’t been touched. All three deer were over underneath the apple trees, looking for a treat.
Unfortunately, there weren’t any apples on the ground.
In a sudden moment of pity, I decided to go pick a few apples for them. After all, there were still quite a few apples higher up in the branches, just out of reach of the deer.
So I moseyed on over to the apple trees … while the deer, meanwhile, decided to mosey on back towards the garden corner.
I reached up as far as I could, grabbing at leaves and the ends of branches, and pulled the branches down to where I could pick the apples off. I picked as many apples as I could … generously dropping them all over the ground for the deer.
But the deer were now completely preoccupied in the far back garden corner munching on bushy leaves.
I must get their attention … so that they know there are now delicious treats scattered all over the ground for them!
So I began throwing the apples as far as I could over towards the garden. I threw about 8 or 10 … and the deer noticed! Their curiosity was piqued! They started to mosey over to investigate!
This is going to be entertaining!
I circled back around the house (so as not to get in the way) and climbed up on the back deck to watch the entertainment. I was curious to see if there would be any squabbling over the apples. It has happened quite often under the apple trees.
But no squabbling occurred.
All the apples had landed spread out in various places … so there were plenty of apples / and space for everyone.
After munching up the delicious treats, there was just one or two remaining apples near where I was standing. A squabble then ensued as the deer tried to steal from each other.
“Hey! Don’t you dare eat my apple!”
He actually batted at her with his front legs. She got away with the apple leaves – which she seemed to really enjoy. And he got the rest of the apple.
The three deer then proceeded to come right up to where I was … and to stand there and beg!
I kept telling them there were plenty more apples over underneath the trees. I motioned over to the trees! I told them: “Go over there! There’s lots more over there!”
But they remained motionless … staring soulfully at me … begging!
“There’s lots more over there! Go over there!” I kept telling them.
But the thing is, they had already been over underneath the apple trees. And they already knew, fair and square, there was nothing over there. So, there was no reason to go back.
No matter how many times I motioned over to the apple trees … they refused to go check it out.
Eventually they all moseyed down to the back edge of the yard and laid down for a short siesta.
I couldn’t help thinking this is what we do to God. We come to God with our requests … not unlike the deer coming right up to ask me for more apples. We pray! We ask God for blessings.
And God tells us: “I’ve scattered blessings for you already! I’ve got abundant blessings waiting for you. They are over there. Go get them.”
But that is not what we are expecting. We want God to toss the blessings right here, right now. In the way we expect.
We pray!
We pray over that relationship! We pray that the relationship will be restored!
We pray over that job!
We pray over that worry we face.
We, just like the deer, stand there and ask God … as all the while, God is telling us: “I’ve already given you the blessing. Go over there!”
“That blessing of relationship you want … just communicate with that person! Respond when they share with you. Don’t be defensive. Forgive. Don’t hold a grudge. The blessing of relationship is right there waiting of you.”
“That blessing of that job you are praying for … just be faithful, and do your best! Just persevere in the face of frustration. The blessing is right there waiting for you.”
“That peace over worry that you are praying for … I’m right here! Just trust me! I’ve got you! The blessing is right here waiting for you.”
But no … just like the deer, we aren’t about to go do anything to discover the blessings already scattered all over the ground just waiting for us! Instead, we stand there … and gaze up at Heaven and keep asking.
Perhaps, when we pray, if we feel like God isn’t answering our prayers … perhaps he has already answered our prayers! Perhaps we need to do something. Perhaps we need to go get that blessing that’s already there waiting for us.
