The Grizzly Bear Day

Several years ago we took a long-awaited trip to Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park. We didn’t have an RV yet, and were traveling in a half-ton pickup truck so that we could still get out on the backroads when we wanted to. I looked for small “mom and pop” motels for our lodging and was usually successful in finding them.

However, when I was looking for affordable lodging near Grand Teton National Park, the closest little motel that had availability was about a 45 minute drive away. Fortunately, it was the most beautiful drive imaginable with snow capped mountains, tall pines and (as we would learn) wildlife. 

The motel was situated along a creek, and the manager provided a firepit complete with marshmallows for roasting at the end of an adventure filled day. The small town had several fascinating shops with antler-art, hand-crafted jewelry and western wear for sale. This was the first time I’d seen antler art - basically western scenes intricately carved into a moose antler. I stood fixated, staring at the beautiful workmanship in awe. I have very little, if any, artistic ability, but I can sure recognize it when i see it. Something deep within me said, “You’re going to learn how to do that.” I doubted it at the time, but tucked that thought away.

We made the drive down the mountains into the Jackson Hole and Grand Teton area several days, soaking in the beauty, and driving around looking for elk and moose. We took a scenic raft ride (not a white-water raft ride) down the Snake River, a highlight of our visit.

On the drive to and from the Grand Teton National Park we had noticed a large flashing sign warning drivers to be alert for Grizzly Bears that frequented that stretch of the road, advising folks to remain in their cars. We laughed about it, and agreed that it was probably just meant to get tourists excited, and that we wouldn’t be seeing any grizzly bears.  HOWEVER, on our last day in that area, at 2:30 pm, hardly prime grizzly bear spotting time of day, as we approached that stretch of the road where the large flashing sign was located, we noticed a couple cars pulled off the side of the road. Hmmm, maybe there was an elk or something at the bottom of the hill. We pulled over to investigate. Looking down over the edge of the hill, there was a large grizzly bear digging around under logs for whatever he could find. He wasn’t interested in the tourists at the top of the hill, who were all snapping pictures and taking videos of the impressive bear just doing what a bear does. A man at the front of the line of cars jumped out of his car and moved to the edge of the road to get a better picture. Not advisable, of course. But the bear ignored him, and moved in our direction.

I had the truck window down, taking a video of the bear’s movements. All at once, he looked up the hill directly at me and began quickly moving toward our truck. I can still recall that moment when he lifted that huge golden brown furry head and looked me square in the face.  What happened next is one of my husband’s favorite stories to tell on me. “David, David, get moving!” I exclaimed! “Hurry!” But David wasn’t moving. “That bear doesn’t care about you”, he said firmly. But the bear kept moving up the hill and was now only about 20 yards away. I dropped the camera on the floor of the truck, quickly put the window up just as the bear stopped and decided I wasn’t worth his attention. I slowly picked up the camera, which was still recording, and “calmly” kept narrating the video. Then I looked at David and we both burst into laughter! It was one of those memorable experiences that you talk about frequently in the years that follow, and smile.  OK, he smiles about it more than I do...

Once again, God had us at the right place at the right time to see an amazing sight that we would always remember. I have the picture of the grizzly bear on my living room wall to this day.

Remembering the antler art I’d seen in that small western town, when we returned home I began to watch videos on YouTube of how to carve using a dremel tool. I was determined to gain some skill, however basic, in order to create some antler-art of my own, if only to be able to prove to myself that I could do it. First I familiarized myself with the many dremel bits I would need to use, and practiced the carving methods on pieces of wood. Then I worked on a deer antler. Finally, I mustered up my courage and transferred a rough template onto a moose antler. It was one of the smaller antlers that  I had purchased while we were in The Grand Tetons area. I worked on it slowly, for an hour or so at a time. Little by little it began to take shape, and after a few weeks I had created a piece of artwork that made me smile. It was crude, by artistic standards, but I was (and still am) thrilled to have completed it.  I was a little overly zealous when I was carving the moose’s antler and one of the tips broke off. When my husband asked me what happened there, I told him the moose had been in a fight. Yeah, yeah, that’s it!  

Food for Thought

I’m reminded of the account in 1 Samuel 17:33-37 (NIV) where David tells King Saul of his victory over a bear and a lion.  He recounts, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a  bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”

The answer to how David could have accomplished these feats is clear: David was not functioning in his own strength. The strength of the Lord supernaturally empowered David to defeat the bear and the lion. No human being could have done this with just their own hands, in their own strength. David carried the favor and anointing of God on him, and this carried over into his defeat of the Philistine, Goliath, as well.

In our own strength, we can’t take on enemies like depression, fear, sickness or abuse either.  We aren’t meant to. We find the answer in Psalm 91.  In verses 9-12 (TPT) God tells us “When we live our lives within the shadow of God Most High, our secret hiding place, we will always be shielded from harm. How then could evil prevail against us or disease infect us?  God sends His angels with special orders to protect you wherever you go, defending you from all harm.  If you walk into a trap, they’ll be there for you and keep you from stumbling.”

Take-aways

To be in someone’s shadow, you have to be and stay very close. When they move, you move, when they stop, you stop. You are very aware of their movements and respond accordingly.

The “hiding place” is a secret from the outside world - it’s just you and the Lord. The word “shadow” is sometimes translated as “shade” in some bible translations. The imagery is that of a covering that prevents the outside world, especially our enemies, from seeing in. A few weeks ago I had been experiencing some particularly unpleasant dreams, and one night during our prayer time my husband asked the Lord “Pull down the shade over us, so that we can be closed in with you, Lord, and the devil won’t be able to see in and know what you are doing in us.” I visualized a window shade coming down all around us, and the peace of God filled our hearts and minds. 

The promises in Psalm 91 are for those who purposely “live our lives in the Shadow of the Most High” (verse 9); those who “abide under the shadow of Shaddai” (verse 1); and for those who love Him, delight in His name, and have been loyal to His name” (verse 14 TPT). He tells us we will feel His presence in our time of trouble (verse 15 TPT).

“You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.  Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”  (Psalm 91:13-16 NIV)

My Prayer

“Drink deeply of the pleasures of this God.  Experience for yourself the mercies he gives to all who turn to hide themselves in Him.” Psalm 34:8 (TPT)