As I walked down our road for some early morning exercise, I was surprised to hear the distinct cry of a hawk overhead. I shrugged the sound away, assuming he was out for a little breakfast.

A minute later, I heard the hawk screech again. Squinting against the sunlight, I shaded my eyes and searched for the source of the hawk’s cry. Sure enough, in the field next to the road, a large hawk was circling. Nothing new there.

But before I could turn away, I saw something I’ve never seen before. Apparently the hawk was circling over a nest of baby birds. Upon hearing the hawk’s cry, the mother bird shot up from the nest with dizzying speed and began chasing the hawk, pecking it everywhere she could reach.

The hawk’s flight became erratic as the courageous mother assaulted him. She pecked him from below, from behind…even swooped her little body up and began pecking him on top of his head. His screeches intensified,”Squrraw! Squrraw!” until he finally realized the little babies weren’t worth the trouble and flew away. The indignant mother glided back down to care for her babies.

That mother bird reminds me so much of my Heavenly Father. Jesus Himself equated His care like that of a mother bird. We can hide under His wings. Be sheltered under His embrace as the hawk circles overhead.

But sometimes I forget that Jesus doesn’t just hover over us and wait it out. He fights for us.

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14)

“Do not be afraid of them; The LORD your God himself will fight for you.” (Deuteronomy 3:22)

Take comfort today knowing that He sees you, He loves you and He is fighting for you.