Friday, January 14, 2011 - Buzzard Love

     Nick was two when a young French woman named Sandrine and her four-year-old daughter, Margo, came into our lives for three months. Her family moved from harbor to harbor throughout the world as her husband installed electrical systems in ships. When she arrived on the Eastern Shore of Mobile, Alabama, she spoke no English and I was called in to translate at the church. We became friends and our friendship opened my eyes to the ocean of differences between our cultures, beliefs and even our view of simple things. For instance, one day we took our little ones to the zoo. When we stopped at the buzzard exhibit,  I saw two large, gawky birds and was quickly ready to move on to more attractive animals. After all, buzzards? The name says it all - ugly, hovering, noisy. One of the birds sat motionless and the other paced around the cage with the awkward gait of an animal whose head is entirely too small for its body. I've seen animals that are so ugly they're cute, but there was nothing cute about these two. I started to move on when I noticed Sandrine's fascination with the animals. Her eyes sparkled mischievously and her mouth twitched as she tried not to laugh. I looked back at the birds to see what I had missed but saw only that the pacing bird had spread his wings a bit. When I looked back at Sandrine questioningly she whispered in French, "He's showing her how handsome and strong he is." Sure enough, when I looked back at the two birds I saw Romeo wooing his Juliet, in spite of her lack of options since he was the only other bird in the cage. He strutted before her and displayed his wing span to prove he could protect her and their offspring. He called to her with a mixture of loud and soft gobbling sounds, telling her he chose her again today and hoped she would choose him. I had almost missed the love story playing out in front of me because I was looking at outward appearance and lack of grace. I walked away from the exhibit amazed and amused at the gentle, universal ritual of choosing, calling, and wooing throughout the earth. Leave it to the French to find a love story among buzzards! 
     The Bible provides one example after another of God choosing and using people who would have been voted "least likely to succeed." He told Samuel to stop thinking skin-deep as the prophet/priest waded through the sons of Jesse to find God's chosen king of Israel.  

"But the LORD said to Samuel,the LORD does not look at the things man looks at. 

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.'"

 1 Samuel 16:7 

     God wooed the grieving and worried Isaiah with a vision of Himself in His glory. He touched Isaiah's heart with forgiveness and cleansing, and with the blessing of hearing His invitation to join Him in calling others to repent and join the family. Isaiah volunteered, because it was beyond him to ignore such a display of love and assurance of God's Strength.

"Then I heard the voice of the LORD saying,

'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?'"

And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"

Isaiah 6:8

     Christ chooses us to be His bride though our sins are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).  He woos us with His Love, Peace and Joy and He designed creation to display His Glory and Power. He didn't choose us because we're cute or qualified. He sings His love song to us in spite of the fact that we're unloving and unlovable. He assures us of His eternal love though we're unfaithful to the only God in the universe. I don't want to take a Love like His for granted. 

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, 

neither angels nor demons, 

neither the present nor the future,

nor any powers, 

neither height nor depth, 

nor anything else in all creation, 

will be able to separate us from the love of God 

that is in Christ Jesus our LORD." 

Romans 8:38-39

Sweet, loving Jesus, You've chosen us to be Your bride. How amazing and amusing is that? What an incongruous match made in heaven! You could have perfection yet You choose to love us with Your transforming love. Help us become the bride You envision. May we live to love You. Ignite our hearts with the desire to return to You every drop of love You pour out on us. We want to live out our part of the love story. Forgive us when we take You for granted and fail to respond to Your calls. 
In the name of Jesus Who held nothing back in His love for His chosen ones!