The Bird in the Mist

The Bird in the Mist.

Before everything

When emptiness was waiting to be filled, and

Nothingness was silent in the formless deep,

The Spirit of God flutters over the thick eggshell of the watery abyss.

A songbird hovering over her brood to come,

God waits until the right moment to sing a universe into being

And take it, all of it, under His wing,

The wings of the Dove.

Have you ever sat in a little fishing boat on a quiet lake early in the morning? The spindrift is thick, just hanging there suspended over the water, an expansive cloudy curtain shrouding everything in mystery. And then suddenly a bird cuts through the fog and makes a grand entrance, a startling and dramatic surprise, and then it disappears again. In and out. Seen and unseen. In awe you almost tip the boat over as the bird enjoys the mystery, waiting for the day to begin in all its glory. I wonder if the world’s first day was something like that, the holy Dove soaring in and out of the thick watery mist, alert and carefree, preparing for the new life about to burst forth.

But I have found that the mist continues to come and go, perhaps not the same watery cloud as the primordial one, but a cloud nonetheless. In our own brokenness, confusion, or life circumstance, we often wander inside a type of cloud, don’t we? Our shortcomings and difficulties like a personal fog machine, we lose our way. But the poet-prophet Isaiah reminds us of our Creator’s grace by speaking Yahweh’s words… “I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 44:21-22). Yes! We can see a little of what redemption looks like now. The holy wind has made our cloud disappear, whether self-inflicted or not. The sun has risen with healing in its wings, and mercy has covered over a multitude of sins and life challenges.

And yet, we are double-graced, are we not? Yes, He indeed sweeps away our guilt and guides us back home to Him. But we also discover that this bird, the original brooder before time began, has been with us the whole time in the mist, our constant companion all along, floating in and out of our cloud of humanness, circling around us in hidden, humble love. Sometimes he disappears and seems to tarry unseen. Then He appears again. Faith believes He has been there all along, whether we see Him or not. We trust that the wings of grace have been giving us shelter in our shadows, unbeknownst to us. The Dove has never flown away! Unbalanced in our boat, grace in flight gladdens us again, darting through the fog, warming the frozen waters of our heart until new life begins to form. With eyes to see, with profound relief, and through His personal self-revelation, we gratefully smile at the bird in the mist, who has never stopped taking us under His wing.

God in the Mist. It’s okay to call out to God when He is not clearly present, when we can’t see Him operate, when He is silent. Here are some honest questions in Scripture from a faithful believer, when the Bird in the mist seems to disappear. Notice the questioner knows where to go with his questions, Who to ask. He names Him, he assumes His presence, His open ear. These are good questions to ask when the Dove is sight unseen.

1. “How long, Yahweh, will you forget me? Forever? How long will you turn away your face from me? How long must I nurse rebellion in my soul, sorrow in my heart day and night? How long is the enemy to domineer over me? Look down, answer me, Yahweh my God! Give light to my eyes or I shall fall into the sleep of death.” (Psalm 13:1-3)

2. “Why, Yahweh, do you keep so distant, so hidden in times of trouble… Rise, Yahweh! God, raise your hand, do not forget the afflicted.” (Psalm 10:1,12)

3. “Heal me, Yahweh, my bones are shaken, my spirit is shaken to its very depths. But you, Yahweh… how long? Yahweh, relent and save my life, rescue me because of your faithful love, for in death there is no remembrance of you; who could sing your praises in Sheol?” (Psalm 6:3-5)

4. “How much longer, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their onslaughts, from young lions rescue the one life that I have… You saw it, Yahweh, do not stay silent; Lord, do not stand aloof from me. Up, awake to my defense, my God and my Lord, to my cause.”  (Psalm 35:17, 22, 23)

5. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? The words of my groaning do nothing to save me. My God, I call by day but you do not answer, at night, but I find no respite.” (Psalm 22:1-2)

6. “Wake, Lord! Why are you asleep? Awake! Do not abandon us for good. Why do you turn your face away, forgetting that we are poor and harassed? For we are bowed down to the dust, and lie prone on the ground. Arise! Come to our help! Ransom us, as your faithful love demands.” (Psalm 44:23-26)

7. “I shall wear myself out for your salvation, for your word is my hope. My eyes, too, are worn out waiting for your promise; when will you have pity on me? For I am like a smoked wineskin, but I do not forget your will. How long has your servant to live?”  (Psalm 119:82-84)

8. “God, why have you finally rejected us, your anger blazing against the flock you used to pasture? Remember the people you took to yourself long ago, your own tribe which you redeemed… Arise, God, champion your own cause.” (Psalm 74:1-2, 22)

9. “I will go forward in the path of the blameless; when will you come to me?” (Psalm 101:2)

10. “Through the night I ponder in my heart, as I reflect, my spirit asks this question: Is the Lord’s rejection final? Will he never show favor again? Is his faithful love gone forever? Has His Word come to an end for all time? Does God forget to show mercy? In anger does he shut off his tenderness?” (Psalm 77:6-9)

11. ” But, for my part, I cry to you, Yahweh, every morning my prayer comes before you; why, Yahweh, do you rebuff me, turn your face away from me?” (Psalm 88:13-14)

12. “Bring us back, God our Savior, appease your indignation against us! Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your wrath age after age? Will you not give us life again, for your people to rejoice in you?” (Psalm 85:4-6)

(All Scripture references are from the New Jerusalem Bible, compiled by Steve Larson)