Six geese not laying.
It wasn’t the sixth day of Christmas; I hadn’t been given any turtle doves, French horns, or golden rings; and these geese violently charging at me were definitely not laying!
I was around five years old at the time, and my family and I had lived on the Air Force base since we moved to Texas. While I don’t remember too much from this season, I do recall our family taking evening walks to the park after my dad would get off work. Christmas was right around the corner, and on this December walk, I held my G.I. Joe action figure in one hand and my dad’s hand in the other. Looking up at him as we approached the park, I remember him saying, “Matt, make sure you play only in the park. Don’t go over to the lake or get too close to the geese. They aren’t very nice, and they tend to get angry if people approach them. Make sure to play only at the park, it’s safe there.” I yelled “OK” as I ran to the big red slide all the while planning my strategic and heroic attack against my enemy, the geese. What could go wrong? I was a grown American hero at five years old with Joe as my partner! These enemy geese wouldn’t know what hit them!
Turns out my dad was right—very right. The geese were not nice, especially since Joe and I had just launched nuclear bombs (small rocks) at them in an all-out declared war. What happened next was a blur of squawking terror and ferocious feathers. The geese charged me at breakneck speed, Joe deserted me in the battle, and I was franticly flailing in the mud as I attempted to run for my life with a very real fear sweeping over me. I was done for … when suddenly my father jumped in front of the charging enemy geese, kicking one in the neck and throwing the other into the cold water. He saved me!
While this story might be humorous—and I hope it doesn’t offend the animal lovers among us—it’s essentially all of our stories with God. Through His Word, He’s given us instructions: stay here, don’t do that, this is dangerous and will harm you. Unfortunately, in selfish sin, we rebelled and launched out on our own, which led to separation from God.
Right here in the midst of Advent, we find ourselves in need of a strong Savior—a Redeemer. To be redeemed means “to rescue, ransom, set free, or to liberate from an oppressive condition; to set free by paying a ransom.” This Christmas let’s remember Jesus accomplished this by willingly going to the cross and setting us free from the bondage of sin. He’s kicked that “charging goose” in the throat and tossed it far away from us. He picked us up from the mud of life, cleaned us, and took our hands again for us to walk close by His side. He saved us!
