What are cages for? Cages are used to prevent the entry or escape of something…yet cages do let in air and light. I know something about cages because I have a cockatiel bird that has a nice, spacious cage.
"He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me."
—Psalm 18:19
My bird’s name is Kay Kay. I named her that simply because when I first got her she was very afraid, nervous and continuously squawked. I repeatedly said “it’s okay, it’s okay”, to try to calm her fear of a new home and a new cage. I supposed she had heard that so much, that she might think it was her name. So I just shortened it to Kay Kay.
When Kay Kay first arrived she was confined in her cage most of the time. I was cautious about letting her out of her cage because I had another bird that I let out of his cage most everyday and he was accidently smashed under the couch cushions…that’s another story.
However, one day I did let Kay Kay out while I was cleaning her cage because she wanted to get out so badly. Unfortunately the kitchen door to my home was wide open. She was so excited to be out of her cage that she flew wildly out the kitchen door and across the street, ending up in my neighbor’s tall tree. I was so upset and wanted desperately for someone to climb that tall tree and get my bird back for me. However, no one seemed to be interested in such a daring rescue. I watched as Kay Kay remained in the top of that very tall pine tree for three days and nights until one day she was brave enough, (or foolish enough) to fly away, back across the street over my house. That was the last I saw of her, at least for a while anyway.
I walked my neighborhood, crying and praying for God to help me find my new bird. I felt hopeless to say the least. Each day I prayed and looked for my bird with no results. I finally decided to put a sign out on the road at the entrance of our neighborhood in hopes that someone in our neighborhood had found her and would be willing to return her. Several days had gone by when I received a phone call from a lady stating that she may have found my bird. She lived nearby me so I thought she had found him in our neighborhood. However, that was not the situation. She was about 7 miles away at a local tennis club playing tennis the evening before when a cockatiel just happened to swoop down and the tennis instructor saved the bird and took it home with him, which by the way was another 30 miles away. She explained that it might not be my bird but she had seen the sign I had displayed and so she gave me her instructors name and phone number and I called him and made arrangements to make a visit with the bird to see if by chance it was my Kay Kay.
After work, I drove 30 miles in pouring down rain and ended up on a clay dirt road in the country . I walked up to the door and knocked and when the man came to the door, I told him what I was there for and the moment I started talking, Kay Kay started squawking……I knew it was her and she knew it was me.
I rescued my beloved Kay Kay and took her back home to her nice, spacious cage which she now treasures. She never wants to get out of that cage now. She is content and knows that she is safe there. Her squawking has stopped. She loves to whistle and talk and I am her best friend.
Kay Kay learned a lesson didn’t she? She found out it was better to be caged in than to be “free” to fly her way. It was truly a divine miracle that she is back in her cage. God rescued her for me and I am thankful for that. I now realize that it is also important for me to be caged in by the Lord. He is my keeper, just as I am Kay Kay’s keeper. When I set her free she went her way and was in a lot of trouble for a while. Through God’s help I was able to rescue her and get her back to her cage.
"Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young-a place near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God."
—Psalm 84:3
Sometimes we want to be free to fly our own way too and you know what…sometimes God will open that door and let us go. When he does we will find out just how much darkness and danger we can fly into. Let the cry of your heart be ”Lord cage me in”. He will give you a nice, spacious place and you will be safe and protected and well provided for.
If you have already flown out of your cage, today is the day to go home. The Lord is waiting to cage you in. Fly back into his safety today.
Lord,
I know that my wild heart sometimes wants to fly away from the nice, spacious place that you have provided for me. I know that you will let me fly away if that is my heart’s desire. Lord I don’t want to fly away from Your protection and provision for me. My heart’s cry is no longer “set me free” but “LORD, CAGE ME IN”. I want to fly high like an eagle but only with your guidance and direction. Thank you for rescuing me and keeping me safely caged in. In Jesus name, Amen.
