The Unidentified Creature

Darkness enclosed my patio like a blackout curtain with not even one speck of light. Porch lights beamed so I could read my Bible and devotionals. In the stillness before dawn, I prayed and wrote in my journal. 

            As summer neared its end, the sun came up later and later. I preferred spring and summer when the sun rose earlier with gorgeous sunrises which painted the sky and lake.  

            Silence settled all around me. The birds and crickets slept before the sun awoke. 

            Then steps crunched the grass a few feet from me just outside the screen. My heart raced. I froze. A bob cat, possum or armadillo would not have heavy steps like I heard.  

Would the creature come at me through the screen? It could clearly see me with the two porch lights. However, I could see nothing at all. 

I quietly moved to the sliding door, opened it and turned on the outside lights. With flood lights illuminating my yard, I scanned my yard but saw no animal. 

No invader lurked ready to spring at me. No beady eyes stared back. Within seconds, it vanished.  

No footprints or other clues remained. Only the mysterious sounds lingered in my mind where I envisioned a large, black bear roaming around the lake. 

As the sun rose, I turned off the lights and continued my devotional time. 

Often our minds imagine scary situations. A tiny problem morphs into a tragedy. What If’s cause worry and can paralyze us as we conceive monstrous scenarios.

Even though the problem had no conclusion, I decided to remain outside. I could have cowered in fear, retreated inside, and been fearful to venture out. 

When we put our lives in the hands of God, we let Him take care of the scary stuff. 

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

Psalm 46:1-3 (NIV)

God, remind us that You are our protector and refuge. When we become frightened and nervous, give us peace and comfort. Amen