When One Falls
It was a particularly dreary day, overcast and heavy with clouds when it happened. My heart weighed down with anxiety; I stood and stared out the window to the backyard. A flash and a thud caught my eye, as a fast-flying robin, mistook the glass in the window for sky and flew right into it, an optical illusion. How could she survive this blow? That bird fell to the ground stunned and limp, unaware, just like many who fall in disasters as the Day draw near.
Then something caught me off guard. A male robin, her mate, landed on the ground next to her. He pecked at her neck trying to get a response. Using his feet, he jumped frantically grabbing her red breast, trying to lift her. Yet she lay lifeless in the grass. He waited with her for some time, confused and trying to wake her, but who can raise the dead?
Two Are Better Than One
I could sense the grief of this male bird. He just lost his mate. I didn’t know birds could mourn, but it is so. I wondered what would happen to her babies; would they survive? The sorrows in my heart seeped into tears that morning. The Holy Spirit used the tragedy of the two birds to remind me how much we need other strong Christians to keep us awake and spur us on when tragedy strikes.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?
And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him
— a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 ESV
Falling Asleep As the Day Draws Near
My thoughts wandered to a dear friend of mine, who in earlier years possessed a feisty faith and prayer life. Her dedication inspired my own walk with Jesus as she walked in the discipline of intercession and worship. We shared so many long conversations, breaking the bread of rejoicing in the Lord and His Word. Her prayers were a force against the enemy.
My friend moved to another state, and over the course of a decade, through many trials and disappointments, I watched her faith weaken. It wasn’t fast like the robin’s crash, rather slowly over time. Questions and doubts came and I watched her retreat from the front line. I felt as though, she pulled off to the side of the road and sat down in her faith. As she sat, weakness and sleepiness set in. Many times, I tried to rouse the Word rooted in her heart, but she was content to sit and not continue running the race. I felt like the male robin, trying to force my friend to stand and walk but I could not get her up.
Let us hold fast the unwavering confession of hope, for He who promised is faithful.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good deeds.
And do not neglect our own meetings, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another
— and all the more so as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:23-25 TLV
Discouraged By the Darkness
Let’s face it, life comes at us hard and fast. One moment we are soaring through the sky, and the next we crash into glass; the open skies were only a reflection. As we approach the end of this age, the enemy is using every scheme against us. It can be sudden calamity or a slow eating away of the foundations of our belief in God. Either way, in trouble, it’s easy to give up hope in God and sit down by the side of the road. As the Day draws near, the enemy rages in every way.
Jesus warned us to be alert and guard our hearts.
“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.
For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape
all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Luke 21:34-35 ESV
Dissipation
Little by little, the cares and troubles of this life can dilute our trust in God when the burdens become too heavy. God did not wire people to be able to watch the news and see the troubles shaking every continent. That level of upheaval is too heavy for a human heart to carry. Our ears cannot handle a constant input of angry arguments and division. Within our families, friend groups and churches, darkness stalks and destroys. It becomes too much to bear and many sit down and go to sleep.
But There is a Solution
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up—just as you in fact are doing.
I Thessalonians 5:11 ESV
The persistence of the robin provides the example for us. We live at the end of this age, when we can no longer walk out our faith on auto pilot. We must stay awake; we cannot do this alone. The writer of Hebrews encourages us to keep assembling, keep gathering with other Believers and encourage each other. We must be that great cloud of witnesses, out loud, for each other in this hour.
When we see God’s anointing on our brother or sister as they do God’s work, instead of jealousy, we should shout praise and encouragement. “Keep going!”
When we see a timid Christian, encourage them to share the Good News! Help them in it.
When we see another getting sleepy or giving up, let’s shake them like that robin and encourage them with hope and Words of life.
Let’s turn off the news and Facebook, and YouTube and TikTok, let’s silence the podcasts and listen for signs of life from within us.
Let’s stay awake in Jesus and pray for strength for ourselves and others. The robin may not have saved his mate that day, but you and I can catch his fervor, and encourage each other to live and shine for Jesus as the Day draws near.