It was a warm Friday morning this past July that I woke up and looked out the window to discover three foxes wandering around our yard. I was so delighted that there were some new friends to add to the list of wildlife in our backyard–until I stepped outside. To my surprise, the foxes had dug three large holes around our deck. They were no longer friends. Upon further examination I found that, not only had they been living under our deck, their droppings were all around our yard, beginning to destroy Jeremy’s beloved plush, green grass that I frequently like to walk…barefoot…in. Looking closer, we noticed that their digging had also completely destroyed our precious seedlings.
As I stood there assessing the damage and mourning the loss of our seedlings (and my husband, his grass) the scripture Song of Solomon 2:15 came barging into my mind.
“Catch us the foxes
the little foxes”¦”
What? God, What are you saying?
A sermon I had heard my previous pastor, Ryan Baitzel, preach started coming to my mind. He comments on this passage saying:
Solomon says to his beloved:
“Catch us the foxes
the little foxes that spoil the vines
For our vines have tender grapes”
In the verses prior, we see Solomon saying to his beloved that it’s spring time.
I think that he’s referring to the fact that it’s spring but also he’s saying now is the time for our wedding–our relationship has developed roots, been cultivated, is growing, and is about to blossom. We’re about to get married.
BUT
Let’s make sure–absolutely sure–we catch those foxes.
Let’s make sure the foxes don’t eat what could be blooming or developing in our lives and destroy the very thing that might be happening that’s amazing among us.
Now, Solomon and his beloved were about to get married and he was wanting to be cautious about the things that could destroy their blossoming relationship. But I think we can also apply this to some spring seasons in our own lives. Times when the Lord is developing roots, cultivating, growing–when things are blossoming in our personal lives, our work, our relationships.
Sometimes during these spring seasons, everything looks fine from the window, but when we take a closer look we see foxes lurking around with the potential to wreak havoc on our lives and spoil the very things the Lord has been cultivating.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe God’s will will always be done but I think we also have a responsibility to be on guard against the foxes–being mindful of our weaknesses and the things we are prone to, and in prayer to keep the foxes away from our tender grapes–the things the Lord is cultivating.
I think foxes can come in at least three forms:
Weaknesses, or sin we are prone to, attacks from the enemy, and the brokenness of this fallen world.