Running With the Deer

The most amazing thing happened to me one Saturday morning.

A good friend and I occasionally get together and go for a vigorous walk at the off of Clinton Keith Road. This particular day we had to walk very early due to our busy weekend schedules. We knew the sun would just be coming up and hoped we would see some animals, which always makes things more exciting. 

So, me with my pepper spray, and Paula with her phone, started off on the trail. We were not disappointed. After only a few minutes we saw a mother deer cross the road ahead of us, followed by a few babies. As we stopped quietly to watch, Habakkuk 3:19 immediately flashed through my mind. The prophet was expressing his trust in the Lord, stating that God would make his feet like deer’s feet. Both Paula and I were excited to see this beautiful site.

We continued walking and about 10 minutes later, I heard some rustling in the bushes. As we stopped and listened, a baby deer emerged from the brush. She was so cute! She looked at us with big wide eyes and then slowly walked right up to us. She was so close we could have fed her from our hands! 

We were in shock. We didn’t really know what to do, so we started walking again and the baby deer followed close behind. It soon started prancing. Paula and I began to jog and sure enough, so did the baby deer. We were still in shock. We were actually running with a deer! She soon was bounding in front of us, seeming to dare us to chase her. Now she was playing with us. 

Paula snapped a picture and we just kept on running. Eventually it seemed like we were taking her too far from where we had found her, so we turned around and headed back. So did she. She continued to run with us until we came to the brush where we first met her.

We stopped. She stopped. She sniffed around a bit and then looked at us.  I’m sure I imagined it, but it seemed like she gave us a nod of the head before she pushed her way back into the bushes. Paula and I just stared at each other. Did this really happen? Did we really just go running with a deer? It was the coolest thing ever!

I thought about the experience all day. When I got home I grabbed my Bible and turned to the verse in Habakkuk. The prophet knew that God was going to judge the Israelites by using their enemies, the Chaldeans. He was terrified, yet he trusted in God. 

Although he knew what was ahead, he was able to say, with confidence, “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flocks be cut off from the fold, and there be no herds in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills.”  (Not heels, ladies!)

No matter what trouble you’re facing today, remember that God will strengthen you and give you deer’s feet, like Habakkuk. The feet that bounce, bound and leap over hills and mountains. He will strengthen you and keep your feet from slipping.

Can you echo the words of the prophet and rejoice, no matter what happens? Let’s work on it together. May you have a wonderful week and remember to rejoice and be thankful…no matter what. Why? Because God is on the throne and that’s all that matters.