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| Remarkable story about a grey fox and God’s providential care |
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Is it easy to remember God’s miraculous interventions in our lives? No, we are prone to forget. Although we’d like to think otherwise, we’re really no different than the Israelites who built the golden calf despite being miraculously freed from Egypt and subsequently witnessing the pillar of cloud/fire, the parting of the Red Sea, manna from heaven, water from a rock, etc. Occasionally I feel prompted to keep a journal of such occurrences in my own life. Unfortunately, I keep putting it off, and I’ve let some remarkable instances pass from memory. However, this is one story I definitely don’t want to forget. It’s an amazing example of how God works on levels we typically can't even begin to fathom.
Recently we went on a family camping trip with cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents – 23 of us in all (incl. 15 kids). The location of our outing was Cape Henlopen State Park, Delaware, in a pine forest adjacent to the sandy beaches of the Atlantic Ocean. At nightfall of the second day, after everyone had scattered following dinner around the campfire, one of the uncles emerged from his tent just in time to discover the largest grey fox he’d ever seen standing on the picnic table, his nose buried in our leftover food! After his initial shock at the sight, the uncle chased off the fox, who managed to take a hamburger with him. Round 1 went to the fox.
The fox was actually sighted a couple more times before folks started turning in for the night, but only from a distance. It had been a long day at the beach, and chitchat around the campfire was subdued, even after the excitement of the fox. Most of the kids were in bed by 10 PM, and the majority of the adults retired shortly thereafter. By 11 PM, only a hardy few of us remained by the fire. The forest was pitch-dark and the entire campground had grown quiet.
Several times over the next two hours, we heard the fox raid adjacent campsites of others in our group while they slept. Each time, we tried to sneak up on the animal, tiptoeing through the woods with our flashlights and “weapons” (marshmallow roasting sticks). And each time we approached, the fleet-footed beast would dash away the moment we shined our lights on him.
At some point after midnight, our pursuit of the fox had turned into an all-out hunt. (It was inevitable, wasn't it? Testosterone, spears, fire, and wild animals – what can I say, we’re men!) We had set a trap with bait and vowed not to sleep until we had taken the persistent fox, dead or alive. We remained nearly motionless, poised and catlike, for 45 minutes, barely saying a word. Finally, around 2 AM, as we were sitting just beyond the faint glow of the dying campfire, our patience was rewarded. We again heard the sound of rustling in the undergrowth that had previously signaled the coming of the fox. Our senses went on full alert, our eyes scanning the darkness for any signs of our quarry. Thinking I detected a slight movement, I peered even more intently into the dark. Indeed, I had seen something very faintly, moving slowly against the black background. Coming toward us, slowly, hesitantly, but ever onward, closer, closer... The thought suddenly occurred to me that the shape I was seeing looked odd for an animal on all fours. When it became evident that I wasn’t looking at our familiar fox, I flicked on the flashlight, and my beam caught..... My eighteen-month-old nephew!! The toddler had awakened in the night and wandered out of the safety of the camper he’d been sleeping in!
His father scooped him up, and we realized that if we had not still been awake hunting the fox, nobody would have been there to find the toddler wandering around in the woods in the middle of the night. The four of us stared wide-eyed at each other for a minute, as we considered the Providence that may have saved Sam’s life. Had God sent the fox? Had he orchestrated the entire folly that preoccupied us for hours, just long enough to find the wandering boy? Had he guided the boy to us through the dark? It seemed very clear to us at that moment that God really does cause all things to work together for good to those who love him. Is there a limit to God’s providence? Our fox seemed to demonstrate that there is not!
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| To add a comment to "Remarkable story about a grey fox and God’s providential care" |
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| August 30, 2007 |
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| Wow! What a story. And what a great picture. When we are aligned with His perfect will, all things do work together for our good, not just some things. All of you were working within His perfect will for your nephew's good. Isn't that just the coolest thing? His amazing attention to all of the details of our minutes, hours and days is beyond comprehension. Thanks for sharing your adventure! |
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| August 30, 2007 |
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| Wow! What a great story! God is Awesome! |
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| August 30, 2007 |
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| Oh, my! I'm glad you wrote that one down! Stories like these are reminders to me of why I can be grateful that God is sovereign! |
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| August 30, 2007 |
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That is great!!!
I myself would have probably stumbled on a skunk...with much less interesting results... |
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| August 30, 2007 |
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| Great story, Mike, and wonderfully told! |
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| August 30, 2007 |
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Thank you Birdie and Soozanne!! This was a great reminder for me - heck, more than that - a learning experience! We ought to write these things down so that we know not to doubt God.
Thanks JJ and Kathy, you guys are very encouraging! I was a bit nervous about posting this, it's the first "story" I think that I've ever posted.
Dennis, lol - thanks for the comic relief! |
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| August 30, 2007 |
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Mike, no joke, I was serious! Been there, almost done that, face to face with the critter, inches from the front door of my tent! The fox would have been welcome!
All jokes aside, God's grace is amazing to me, how He knows the times and the seasons, who needs to be there for what, and He does watch out for those little ones. |
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| August 30, 2007 |
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| OH my gosh! I am so amazed at God's still small whisper! |
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| August 30, 2007 |
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| Great story, It's so awesome when God teaches us through our day to day experiences. |
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| August 30, 2007 |
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| What a story! ...and excellently told. Now most people would say that this is a long-shot and that we are reading more into it than is necessary. However, being children of God most High, we know that everything IS a miracle! |
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| August 31, 2007 |
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Mike i think this was your best story telling. I felt as if i was there ....you are good have you thought of writing any books?????????? Wow God never ceases to amaze me but never suprises me......Awesome is He. That is a big fox we have little red foxes around here that i see at night driving home from work they are so cute......
Dennis i was helt hostage the other night at work by a skunk that would not leave it was outside the door and i was ready to leave it just kept walking back and forth in front of the door and it would raise it's tail alittle when i'd peck on the door......Finially it ran out to the field.....I scared a skunk one time there when i was cleaning the window in the back door it sprayed i was in side Thank God but it was near the A/C unit and it didn't take long for the smell to be inside.....Yuk.................It didn't take me long to get out the front door...... |
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| August 31, 2007 |
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Thank you Wendy, Plumbline, and Gervis. Your comments are appreciated!
Beverly, thank you! Yes, folks are often tempted to call God's miraculous provision "coincidental", but there is far more joy in seeing the hand of God for what it is instead of attributing everything to randomness.
Thank you so much Rosie!! The thought of professional writing had never occurred to me before. Wow, that's quite a skunk story. Sounds like they're common there. I'm so sorry! lol |
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| August 31, 2007 |
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| Great story Mike. Thanks for sharing it with us. |
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| August 31, 2007 |
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| We have lots of skunks around and trust me you usually smell them before you see them...We have lots of deer that roam the streets......It's not unsual to find one standing in the driveway....I don't live in the country either i live in a nice nieghborhood in town.....It's the joys of small town living............There's still alot of wooded area around for them..... |
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| August 31, 2007 |
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| Well that sounds lovely Rosie! We too have deer, many of them in fact, they are in our yard often. We've seen 4-5 at a time. But in this area Lyme Disease is a big threat to health, no less than 4 of our immediate neighbors have it! Our area has been called the Lyme capital of the world. So deer are not exactly lovingly welcomed! |
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| September 02, 2007 |
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Wow, Mike!! That gave me goosebumps and tears in my eyes!! I love children, and I truly believe God used that fox to keep that child safe.
You told that wonderfully.......I was on the edge of my seat reading it!! |
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| September 02, 2007 |
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| Coooool! Thanks Lora! :-) |
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| September 03, 2007 |
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| Mike what is it they say confirmation of three or more???????There you have it i think you should consider writing a book. God has blessed you with a talent let it shine for Him....No pressure though....can you start on it today....I can't wait to read it...To pushy? Sorry ...what are you doing sitting here reading this get busy......hehehehehe Love ya brother but i am serious i do believe God has blessed you and a book is in your future.... |
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| September 05, 2007 |
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| God's sovereignty is truly amazing! |
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| September 07, 2007 |
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Lau.. and I shared this story at our small group meeting this week, as we just happened to be discussing God's providence that night. Stories like this make his providence (his seeing our needs and providing for them ahead of time) crystal clear to us. But one thing that struck me as we discussed it on Wed eve., was how difficult it can be for people to see God working in their daily lives providentially. Basically, you must be looking for God's providence or you'll completely miss it. Let's face it, grey foxes rarely save the day for us! |
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