Our Dragons and Owls

Often times in our walk with the LORD we hear a voice of accusation mocking our belief in the faithfulness of our God. We hear a conflicting voice in our inner man saying, "If the things you say are true, things in your life would not be heading in the opposite direction of what you speak; what a hypocrite you are! None of it is true!"


I can say we must hold fast to our confidence. Not confidence in ourselves, but our confidence in God!


Isaiah gives a very appropriate speech in this regard. Chapter 43: 18-21 gives us a glimpse of what is going on. God tells us through the Prophet to not remember the things of old; our past mistakes and missteps. He promises to do a new thing! Just hold on!


God says to "behold", in other words, PAY ATTENTION!


What He has desired for us is our good. It shall spring forth and we will be very aware when it happens. It will not be a dark mystery we will not understand. God promises to make a way in the wilderness; notice He says IN the wilderness. He will give rivers IN the desert; He does not say we will walk around the desert.


Isaiah continues to prophecy that even the beasts of the field, the dragons and the owls will even have to praise Him. The owls represent an unclean bird. The dragons represent monsters, or jackals. The owl mentioned here speaks of the cavity of the desert owls eyes that hold and retain unclean substances. Even these unclean things that oppose the God that is in us will eventually have to acknowledge that He cares for those who are His.


Why do they have to acknowledge this characteristic of God? Because He gives water and rivers and drink to His people; His chosen. He formed us for Himself; we are His! To deny us would be to deny Himself. What are the chances of that happening?


Through this process, and it has an expected end that only He fully understands, we will show for His praise; not show forth our praise, but HIS Praise.


In our times of desert experience when all seems to be going in the opposite direction, when the beasts, the dragons and the owls growl and howl at us, when we feel like Job and think, " I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls. My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat. My harp is also turned into mourning, my organ into the voice of those who weep..." (Job 30:29-31)


Something must rise up into our spirits that declares even if the olive fails, the fruit falls off of the vine, the herd in gone from the stall, YET, I WILL rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. He neither faints nor grows weary. His promises will come to pass. He makes a way THROUGH the wilderness and desert of our life. These experience are a necessary part of our spiritual (eternal) development.


Do not lose heart. He sits as the Refiner of silver and gold. We will be a spotless Bride for His Son when He returns to set up His kingdom on this troubled planet. Keep looking up; our Redemption draws neigh.


He is a quickening Spirit. For as the Father raises up the dead and quickens them, even so the Son will quicken those whom He will (John 5:21) He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us, so we have every right to ask to be quickened, in the desert and wilderness! If the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in you, this same Spirit will quicken your mortal body (Romans 8:11).


Never forget that Christ died for our sins. Do not let the enemy convince you otherwise. He suffered for us, the Just for the unjust (that is us); why? so He could bring us to God. He also, as must we, put death in the flesh and thus was quickened by the Spirit.



March through the wilderness and desert knowing full well that God goes before us and He is behind us all of the way!


" For you shall not go out with haste,
nor by flight:
For the LORD will go before you;
the God of Israel will be your rearward! "
(Isaiah 52:12)