Kabod Crane

She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel” – because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. 1 Samuel 4:21

Two weeks ago I started running again after an extended delay from a messed up knee. Previous to this injury, I had been running six miles a day, but the exercise sabbatical has taken its toll on my body. I was only able to run about half a mile before stopping to walk the rest of the 2.2 miles around the lake. Everyday I attempt to increase my distance by a little bit more. A new iPod full of worship music has helped motivate me to keep going. It also directs my focus to God as I jog through His creation and ponder His ways.

By the beginning of last week I had worked up to the one-mile mark. As I walked from there on, my thoughts again turned to God. Around the one and a half mile mark, I came to a turn in the bridge. Sitting in the water, amidst the normal assundry of ducks, was a beautiful crane. Its long legs were jutting out of the water, its pointy beak arched upwards, confident. “Hi, crane!” I said, as I passed. (Yes, I talk to birds.) The long, thin head rotated so its eyes could follow me as I turned the corner and walked up the next hill and back into the cover of the trees.

The next day I ran a bit further before I started to walk. Soon, I strolled into the same clearing, there again sat my new buddy, the crane, looking so dignified. It fluffed its feathers as I passed. I chose to interpret that motion as a friendly wave. I returned the greeting.

The following day I was feeling strong, the day was cool, and the worship music thumping. It propelled me onward, this time all the way to the point of my friend, Señor Crane. As I reached him I slowed and smiled. I was happy he was able to share in my newest victory.

Day 4, I ran again. I was not feeling as powerful as the day before. It was humid and thunderstormy. The rain-soaked pants I sported stuck to my legs, making me feel claustrophobic. I told myself, “no distance backsliding”…that I had to at least run to the crane again. And as I turned that familiar corner, there he was. Just a few more steps…a few more…

But just then, his large wings unfolded and up he flew! The graceful pose he maintained in the water evolved into rather gawky-looking, bottom heavy flight. He lumbered down a ways, over the bridge, and plopped back into the water on the other side. I was slightly annoyed by my delayed reprieve, but then smiled a bit at how similar he was to a perky aerobics teacher, "And three more, and two more, and one more.......and just ten more!" So I kept true to my promise to “run to the crane.” As we once again met, I smiled and said hello as I stopped to walk.

That night I finished reading a book that explored how to listen for God’s voice. It referenced the story from 1 Samuel where Samuel learns to distinguish God’s voice from Eli’s. After reading through that small passage, I wanted more, so I started at the beginning of 1 Samuel and read through Chapter 4 before going to bed. Chapter 4 tells the story of the Philistines stealing the Ark of the Covenant from Israel. In response to the glory of the Lord being stolen from Israel, one of the Israeli women in the chapter gives birth to a son and names him "Ichabod". The name immediately made me think of Ichabod Crane, the character from the scarytale "Legend of Sleepy Hollow".

Now, I'm not sure if it was a sweet dream about my friend Mr. Crane or a nightmare about Ichabod Crane and the headless horseman, but somehow in the middle of the night, the two characters entwined, and I woke up with major crane on the brain.

That morning as I was looking in my commentary about the passages I had read the night before, I noticed that it said Ichabod means "no glory" while conversely kabod means "God's glory".

As my thoughts again strayed to Ichabod Crane, his surname called to mind my little friend out their on the lake. And unlike Ichabod Crane - this "no glory Crane" of spooky tales - I thought that perhaps my friend at the lake was my kabod crane, my "glory crane" - a little angel sent from God to make me smile, to motivate and push me further when I felt like giving up, to act as a sign that He will always be there for me, rain or shine.

Afterwards, I got online to check my email. I opened my Scripture of the Day to see: "The LORD will send His angel before you," Genesis 24:7; "God also is bearing witness by signs and wonders," Hebrews 2:4; and the prayer, "Creator of all, heaven and earth are full of your glory," and I chuckled.

Perhaps you think I am reading too far into things. Perhaps I am. Perhaps it is just a crane. But Charles Stanley says it is not only appropriate, but it is our duty, as a child of God, walking in the Spirit, to look for the handiwork, the footprint, and the handprint of almighty God in every single situation of life. And I am choosing to believe.