Growing up in the country, fried chicken was one of the basic food groups, so I had quite a lot of experience with our feathery friends.
Frankly, if they didn’t taste good, chickens would be a waste. Mostly what they did was run away you approached and fertilize any area where they happened to be scratching for bugs.
Frankly, if they didn’t taste good, chickens would be a waste. Mostly what they did was run away you approached and fertilize any area where they happened to be scratching for bugs.
In the Summer when tired students could finally sleep in (we were up at the crack of noon when we weren’t working), the male version of these living feather dusters would sing at the top of his voice way too early, way too early in the morning.
Chickens, except for a few ornery roosters, were mostly scared of everything and that fact gave birth to one of the worst insults one kid could give another–“You’re chicken!”
I read a story once, though, that made me realized that even chickens have their limits.
King Ahab distinguished himself as one of the sorriest kings Israel ever produced.
Dominated by his wife Jezebel, Israel prospered financially during his reign but he stood as an enemy to God.
Once several other kings came against his city, Samaria, to ravage it. The king of the attackers was called Ben-Haddad. Someone suggested that his name could probably be translated, “Son of Thunder.”
His thundering threats caused a whole lot of shaking to go on inside of Ahab. “Then he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, and said to him, “Thus says Ben-Hadad: ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your loveliest wives and children are mine.’”
And the king of Israel clucked, “My lord, O king, just as you say, I and all that I have are yours.” (1 Kings 20:2 NKJV). That demand might have pleased Ahab if his enemy had taken Jezebel in the bargain.
A few hours later, messages came from the Thunder King demanding even more.
But even chickens like Ahab have their limits, “Therefore he said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you sent for to your servant the first time I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” (1 Kings 20, 9 NKJV)
A prophet of the Living God spoke to the Chicken king. For once he obeyed and strode out and sent the Thunder King packing, winning a victory worth crowing about.
He did it again the next Spring.
For Ahab, it was downhill from then on as he returned to his disobedient ways. But, at least once he had proved that even chickens have their limits.
Do You and I Have Our Limits?
I cackle with judgment watching Ahab’s cowardly ways, but what about me?
Do I ever complain and complain and complain without doing what I can to change the situation?
Do I ever read God’s promises as if they were sweet fairy tales, ignoring the power in them?
Do I ever let the devil bluster and threaten and run over me?
Does even this chicken have his limits?
And you?
Maybe it is time to stop running and strap on our armor. We have God’s promise. Fight back against the enemy.
“The truth is that, although of course we lead normal human lives, the battle we are fighting is on the spiritual level. The very weapons we use are not those of human warfare but powerful in God’s warfare for the destruction of the enemy’s strongholds. Our battle is to bring down every deceptive fantasy and every imposing defence that men erect against the true knowledge of God. We even fight to capture every thought until it acknowledges the authority of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 J.B. Phillips)
Are you stumbling around clucking in fear? Maybe it’s time to get up, put on your battle gear, and head out to war.
Inspired by God’s promise, you will win.
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Hmmm …
“Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayers.”
Smile
My memory’s not as sharp as it used to be. Also, my memory’s not as sharp as it used to be. ~ ~ ~ Know how to prevent sagging? Just eat till the wrinkles fill out. ~ ~ ~ It’s scary when you start making the same noises As your coffee maker. ~ ~ ~
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Images: Flickr, Creative Commons, Len Matthews Psalm 23;