Stand Your Ground

Lessons from a momma duck:  Stand your ground. 

A couple weeks ago while I was mowing, I found a momma duck sitting on a nest. As I neared her nest, I figured at some point the sound and terror of my mower would cause her to flee in fear. My mower is huge, loud, and surely terrifying to a little ol’ duck. Each pass I made around her nest, I got closer and closer. But each pass I made, she just sat quietly and watched. The last pass I made was within a foot of her nest, and that momma duck never even flinched. 

I marveled at the steel resolve of the little momma duck and whispered, “Lord, make me like that.” No doubt, the little momma duck felt terror at the size and sound of the metal beast that kept making its way toward her. She was outmatched and outgunned— no chance that little momma duck could take on a John Deere lawn tractor to protect her eggs. But none of that mattered to her. No matter how close I got or how certain it seemed that she was about to be overcome by the beast, she stood her ground. 

Paul tells us at Ephesians Chapter 6 that we are to put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, we may stand our ground. Then, after “having done everything, to stand.” No matter how close the enemy gets, no matter how certain it is that we may be overcome by the beast, Paul tells us to “stand firm.”

O Lord, when we feel outmatched and outgunned by the enemy, may we we remember this lesson from the momma duck and the words of Paul, “…stand your ground…and after having done everything…stand..”

(John 14:1,27) Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me… Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.

(Ps 27:1-3) The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread? When the wicked came upon me to devour me, my enemies and foes stumbled and fell. Though an army encamps around me, my heart will not fear; though a war breaks out against me, I will keep my trust.

(Rev 12:11 NLT) And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.