August 2024

Good morning,

In the Sierra foothills of northern California, where the Yuba River feeds the upper end of Englebright Lake, there's a gathering spot where migratory geese, colorful wood ducks and wild turkeys congregate for a few drinks and some good ol' fashion wildlife chitchat.

Oh, and not to be forgotten, hungry predators are there too.

The place is also a popular haven for wildlife enthusiasts – like Andrew Evans – who watch as nature puts on a dazzling display of show-n-tell. But Evans wasn't satisfied to sightsee from a distance; he wanted to be part of the action.

In hopes of blending in with nature's traffic, Evans camouflaged himself as a very large wild turkey – imagine something you might find at your front door on Halloween. And, adding to the realism, he upped his charade by blowing a loud turkey call in hopes of luring a flock. As any well-educated turkey knows, that loud, rapid gurgling sound means only one thing, "I'm here, fellow turkeys! Come on over!"

However, to a hungry predator, that gurgling sound translates to, "Fresh turkey served here!"

And, sure enough, it wasn't long before a 200-pound mountain lion pounced on the unsuspecting make-believe turkey. At first, it was hard to tell who was more surprised, the beast or the would-be dinner. After all, what turkey defends himself by throwing haymakers at a mountain lion?

As the camouflage costume was ripped away, the confused lion understandably lost his appetite, and darted off.

In telling this story to the LA Times, the inspector for California's Department of Fish and Wildlife said, "The big cat won't be captured and transported out of the area; after all, it was a simple case of mistaken identity."

Oh, the importance of knowing who's who and what's what!

Few things in scripture stand out more prominently than the identity of our Heavenly Father.

The fourth word in the opening line of Genesis gives His signature – GOD! And from that point on, scripture lists over 40 different personal and symbolic names to crystalize His identity, all designed to describe who He is, what He's done and what He wants.

However, His names aren't the only things that showcase His identity; His creation shouts it as well. "Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes … have been clearly seen." (Rom 1.20)

But even more convincing is this: according to Romans 1.19, God's identity is inlaid into the very fabric of every human being, making God's existence "evident to them."

In other words, what our physical senses can perceive about God through the creation, our inner senses understands who He is. That's why Paul said, "…they are without excuse."

God did all this because He wants us to know Him, and rightfully so. We see our self and our purpose much more clearly, when we see who He is. As the brilliant Solomon said, "Knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Prov 9.10)

How fortunate we are that God, in His sovereign wisdom, recruited you and me to lead the charge, to carry His banner and make Him known to a world that's become increasingly ambivalent towards Him. Thankfully, He hasn't sent us into this battle alone – He goes with us.

In Roman times, after the training of a new soldier, the recruit was equipped with a perfectly plain shield to carry into battle – they called it The Shield of Expectation. It was a symbol of the warrior's readiness and responsibility. As the young soldier achieved success, they engraved his deeds on that shield as a statement of all he had accomplished.

According to Psalm 18.30, God is our Shield of Expectation. As we follow His lead, proclaim His word, trumpet His grace and give Him the glory, He promises to strengthen and protect us. And, in a twist of divine irony, God writes our names on His shield.

That is so like Him!

Blessings,