A Lesson From Uluru

Well, the dastardly deed is done.
I've sold my darling birdies over the internet and phone to Pat, who is a nice person with a lot of bird experience. I communicated with Pat over the internet a few times, and found out that she was a young nursing student who's really friendly and seems excited about owning birds again. I was a bit shocked yesterday when I called her only to find that "Pat" is short for "Patrick" and she's a he! :) He seems like he'll take good care of them.
So ahyhow I've been thinking of a lesson I learned from Uluru, and thought, in honor of the little fellow, that I'd tell you the story.
When I first bought Uluru, he was a young handfed baby. He was terrified of being taken out of his familiar cage, and when I brought him home all he would do was huddle in the corner of his cage. He didn't want to eat, drink, or do anything other than get away from me. He wouldn't make a sound other than an occasional miserable chirp. It was so sad! I had been looking for a long time for the bird I would buy, and when I heard that he was "hand fed" and supposedly "tame" I had pictures in my mind of this darling little juvenile cockatiel who would snuggle on my shoulder and whistle me love songs. I kept on expecting him to come around once he was used to his new home, and in time he didn't fear me anymore. But he still didn't like me. He'd crouch in the furthest corner of his cage when I came near. He started to chirp and whistle in time, but he didn't want ANYTHING to do with me. He simply tolerated me when I tried to hold him. He was quite happy to live life in his cage without human companionship.
But what he didn't know is that I had bought him for just that reason! The whole reason I had searched for the perfect bird, purchased him, and traveled a long ways to get him was so that he could be my little buddy.
One day I was sitting in my Bible study class, and my mind wasn't on the lecture. It wandered to Uluru at home in his cage and I thought absently "goodness, I just wish he enjoyed me as his owner. I wish he WANTED to be with me. What good is it to have a pet who doesn't enjoy you?" Suddenly a thought hit me so hard. God said to me "Dani, that's exactly how I feel about you. I don't just want to 'own' you. I don't just want you to be My possession. I want you to enjoy Me so that I can enjoy you to the fullest! I created you to delight in Me and bring Me joy in your delight." Something clicked in my relationship with God when I finally understood that. I was upset over a little bird who didn't enjoy me? Here was the God of the Universe, the High King of Heaven who had purchased me with his very blood, and so often my attitude towards him was one of duty and obligation rather than adoration and delight.
Uluru finally came around, with time. Now my family and I laugh at the little "Dani Dance" he does when I walk in the room. He wants me to hold him so badly that he prances around on his perch, crouching and quivering with hope that I'll just look at him. When I place a treat in his cage, he doesn't even look twice at it. All he wants is to hop on my hand and have me scratch his head or give me kisses. He's rather have me than what I can give him. He's perfectly content to sit on my shoulder or my head for hours while I go throughout my day. Sometimes I'll be reading or working, and hear a plaintive little chirp. I'll look up and find that Uluru has been staring at me for who-knows-how-long, waiting for me to notice him and pick him up. (Awww!) :)
I cannot tell you how often that little bird has put me to shame. He delights in being my bird the way Christians should delight in being God's children. He wants to be with me at all times and his plaintive little chirp for attention reminds me of the constant cry in my heart, "my soul thirsts for the living God as the deer pants for water!" I want to be the kind of Christian who is constantly seeking God's eye... His presence... His blessing.
How sad it must make God when our pets show more affection and desire for us than we do for Him!
So... I'm grateful for the Lesson Uluru taught me about being a "Cockatiel Christian". :)