Black Hawk Down

“What was that?”  That was the phrase I yelled.

I’d been minding my own business on a quick early morning jog. I headed down the same path as always. The serenity and calmness of the morning had just been interrupted by something that had swooped right beside my head. Whatever it was, it had come from behind me. When it past my ear, it sounded like a strong whipping gust of wind. It was fast and it was too close for comfort. I looked up towards the sky but saw nothing. Hmmm. I shook off the shock and kept moving.

It happened again.

Swoosh . . .

I was startled and this time slightly nerve wracked. Out of the corner of my eye, I had seen whatever it was. It was big and long and dark and fast and . . . too close for comfort. I ran faster now and turned my head around to see if I could spot anything. There, in the sky, circling directly above my head were two hawks. They seemed to be larger than life, their wingspan vast, and their eyes peeled in my direction. They weren’t happy I’d chosen this route.

I kept my eyes on them so as not to be caught off guard again when their menacing flights took a downward turn. Sure enough, one left the circle they’d been carefully crafting and began heading in my direction. I was running backwards now—trying to keep moving forward while still looking at the fierce, angry bird headed in my direction. The black hawk flapped his wings furiously to gain momentum and then stretched them out intensely as he pierced the air towards my head. He looked like a fighter jet sailing full steam in my direction. At the critical moment of potential contact, I ducked my head but apparently not adequately enough. I felt his belly skim the top of my hair as He whipped by. While I’d been preoccupied, the second hawk had begun his descent and boldly sailed past the left side of my face before I knew what was happening. Was I going to lose my head today?

Shaken, I kept running and looking towards the heaven. Whatever nest those hawks were trying to protect must have been in the haven of trees that I had now cleared because they didn’t bother me anymore . . . at least for now.

I wondered what I was going to do next. I still had a ½ mile to run in the direction I was going, but at some point I had to turn around and come back this way to get home. I was intimidated. I hadn’t counted on being mistaken for prey or pecked to death by an angry mother hawk when I’d laced up my running shoes. Should I stop at a neighbor’s house and call my husband to come get me? No, it’s too early to knock on anyone’s door. Should I run all the way around the neighborhood and back to my home another way? No, that would mean a 5-6 mile run, and I hadn’t done that since . . . never.

I kept running and thinking. And my emotions finally slid down the spectrum from fear until they crashed into a pool of anger. I was upset. These birds were messing with the only few quiet moments I might have today. And what’s more, they didn’t own this street. I had a right to run this way at this time of day if I wanted to.

So, at the stop sign, I turned around with a firm resolve. I headed home but decided to go back armed. I saw a fairly thick branch that was a couple feet long and grabbed it in my right hand. When I came to the overpass of trees, I began to swing the branch in a circle over my head—not to hit them just to detour them. I could see the birds stir in the top tier of a tree when I returned. But this time they didn’t bother me. Not today. Not now. Not ever.

Cause I, I am armed and dangerous.

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The Enemy’s got his sights on you, you know? He doesn’t want you traveling along this path—growing your spiritual stamina and developing your spiritual muscles. He doesn’t want you fighting for your marriage; believing God for your kids; having faith for your finances; being content with your current season of life. He’s bound to be nesting at some point along your journey and will go to great lengths to intimidate you from your purpose and your passion to pursue the things of God. He’ll circle you, to figure out what might be the best strategy to dissuade you.  Then at a vulnerable moment, he’ll swoop down fast and with fury and, I promise, he will be too close for comfort.

Don’t you let him scare you away with all of his little ridiculously sneaky attempts to be crafty. Let any intimidation you feel take a turn into a holy courage and boldness that causes you to take up arms. Be smart, and don’t run around with nothing to protect yourself. Grab you some spiritual armour and be conspicuous about using it. He might still circle overhead but he’ll rethink messin’ with you when you aren’t such an easy target.

Not just today but everyday.

Because you – you are armed and dangerous.

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I made it back home with no scrapes or scratches. My nerves were on edge just enough to make me consider changing my jogging route the next morning. But then I remembered that I had something to keep the hawks away. I laced up my shoes and . . . ran.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. – Ephesians 6:10-11

(Read more about your spiritual armor in Ephesians 6:10-20)

Priscilla Shirer, Going Beyond Ministries