The flapping of wings drew my attention away from my journal where I was beginning my morning devotions.  To my utter amazement, a squadron of 25 or 30 pelicans accompanied by blue herons and geese landed on High Rock Lake just outside my window.  I was excited beyond description as I grabbed my phone and began snapping pictures.  Who would ever have thought I would see pelicans on our fresh water lake 200 miles from the nearest ocean!

The Lord, it seemed, had sent me a surprise on a dreary, gloomy, rainy March morning—and I was as excited as a child over a new pet at Christmas!

The surprise turned an ordinary, routine, mundane day into a wonderland!  For several minutes I enjoyed watching the graceful birds swim up and down our cove, diving occasionally for fresh fish for breakfast.

Then what sounded like a gunshot rang through the air from somewhere in the distance.  Just as suddenly as they arrived, their wings exploded into action as they soared into the sky and headed out in search of a safer location.

On two other occasions this month, my morning devotions have been magically interrupted with the sound of wings.  First came the pelicans then several days later a raft of hundreds of mallards and later still a siege of black ducks.  Each time the birds barreled into our cove, ate their breakfast, and took off in formation as they literally rounded the curve out of our cove toward their new destination.   What a blessing!

Several months ago, the Lord prompted me to slow down and leave behind my workaholic lifestyle and my tendency to worry over this world’s “stuff,” and I have tried to faithfully follow through on that commitment.  Even though I am an impatient creature and want everything yesterday, I realize that is not God’s plan.  In fact, a fruit of the Spirit He has been giving me little by little is patience, because He knows that within myself I just don’t have it!  What a blessing!

^“The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.
 So it is good to wait quietly
for salvation from the Lord.”  (Lam. 3:25-27)

 No, it is not easy, but I can say with great assurance that I have been immeasurably blessed as I have spent increasing amounts of time quietly waiting at his feet.  Sarah Young, author of Jesus Calling, caught my attention even today:

“Be still in My Presence, even though countless tasks clamor for your attention.  Nothing is as important as spending time with Me.  While you wait in My Presence, I do My best work with you:  transforming you by the renewing of your mind.”  (Romans 12:2)

King David got it right.  He was a busy man—a man on the run, a warrior, a king—yet he seemed to spend much time alone with God, rejoicing in His company, delighting in His presence, writing down his thoughts and prayers.  Psalm after psalm share wonderful insights he gained as he sat with the King of Kings.

“Wait patiently on the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14 NLT)

 “You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress.”  (Psalm 59:9 NLT)

“I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.” (Psalm 62:1 NLT)

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. (Psalm 62:5 NLT)

Then one of my favorites:

^“Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.” (Psalm 37:4 NLT)

I sometimes muse, “What does it mean to “delight in the Lord?”  Do I spend enough time delighting in Him, adoring Him, and thanking Him for his wondrous gifts, or do I spend too much time just asking for “stuff”?

Perhaps we all need to ask, “Am I missing wonderful blessings because I am too busy, too worried, or too preoccupied to see what the Lord is trying to show me?  Am I allowing the worries and concerns of this world to rob me of pure delight in the amazing gifts God is providing?”

Jesus gave us a clue, I think, as to one thing we can do to “delight in the Lord” when he encouraged us not to waste time worrying and obsessing over worldly concerns:

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?  Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”  (Matt.  6:25-27 NLT)

 How about you?  Are you taking time to sit with the Master and receive his blessings?  Are you allowing Him to transform your heart and your mind little by little so that you want what He wants?  Or are you missing out on the wondrous “delights” He has to offer?    Look around you!  Be blessed!   There is a glorious world filled with His blessings all around us if we but notice:

^“Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.”  (Ps. 37:4 NLT)