The Lifter of My Head
In 2009 I wanted to add a dog to the one cat household. So I went down to the Animal Shelter/pound to start looking. If you have been to a pound you know they are all about the same. The have small cages, like prison cells, for the animals to live in. Once you go to one you know animals were not meant to live this way. This is how Dixie came into the household. She came from the pound. Dixie belonged to someone else, so she had a previous life, albeit not a good one, and it landed her into this prison, so to speak, which is where we found her.
Dixie is a Lab mix and has beautiful brown eyes. And like most Labs knows how to use them to express her needs or wants. She likes long walks and loves to swim. She still hasn’t quite figured out Mocha (the cat). The other day I went to put Dixie’s collar on her for one of her daily walks and she lowered her head. Now she didn’t lower her head in a way as to assist me with the collar, she lowered it in a timid or shameful way. She wasn’t in trouble and I didn’t do anything to indicate she was being punished. All I wanted to do was to spend time with her and enjoy a walk together. As I saw her in that state I gently reached down under her chin and lifted her head to look at me. I did that to reassure her that in her new life I don’t pay attention to what happened in her former life. It means nothing in this new place for her and I don’t concern myself with it. It was really strange but it lead me to this passage in Psalms 3:3 “But You, O Lord are a shield about me. My glory and the One who lifts my head”.
You see, we like Dixie, before coming to the Lord had a previous life. It was not a good life and it lead us to the pound/prison. God in His mercy and desire to bring us into His family came to the pound and rescued us. In rescuing us, He wants to fill all our needs and spend enjoyable time with us but sometimes we remember our previous life and look down on ourselves. The Lord, in our new life with Him, doesn’t pay attention to our former life, it means nothing in this new place and He doesn’t concern Himself with it. Notice from the passage we don’t lift our head, God does. He simply reaches down, puts His hand under our chin and gently lifts our head to look at Him.
Mama used to tell me, “Son keep your chin up.” She said that to encourage me. It’s hard to look down when your chin is lifted. So remember, The Lord is a shield about you. He is your protector and covers all around you. He is your glory, a special cause for pride, respect or delight. He is the One who lifts your head.
Matt's Anthology 