Close Behind

           

                                                    

 

“My soul follows close behind You.”  Psalm 63:8a NKJV

 

The mama duck and the papa duck were in front.  Close behind them swam 7 or 8 tiny little baby ducks. They appeared to be roughly the size of toy rubber duckies. The scene exceeded cuteness! The ducklings’ little legs were paddling extra hard to keep up with the mother and father. I watched the family until they swam out of sight.

 

My heart went out to the little ducklings.  Why were the mother and father swimming so quickly? Perhaps the older ducks knew innately that the babies needed to develop their leg muscles.  And the only way for that to happen was to push them to the limit.

 

The baby ducklings innately knew that danger awaited them if they were separated from their parents. The parent ducks would protect them if a predator came along. They would make sure the little ones did not get lost. They would provide them with food when they were hungry and a place to rest when they were tired. The parent ducks had taken good care of them since the day they were born.  Surely, they would take good care of them today. So, even though the pace was swift and the current was against them, the baby ducklings paddled with all their might. They followed close behind the mama and papa ducks. 

 

In Psalm 63, the psalmist is speaking of the Lord when he says: “My soul follows close behind You.” The Lord leads, and His children follow. He sets the agenda. The smart thing to do, the only thing to do, is to follow close behind Him. 

 

The Lord will protect me from danger.  He will guide me so that I don’t get lost. When I am hungry He will give me food. When I am tired, He will give me rest.  He has always taken care of me, and He will do so today.

 

Lord, as a new day begins, may my soul follow close behind You every step of the way.