Late the other night I was reading peacefully when I heard a tremendous clatter from the front of the house. The clatter was followed by a pitiful chittering sound. I put down my book to investigate and followed the chittering to the entranceway. There on the porch, just outside the full-length front windows, was a baby raccoon crying and looking up at me.
Sister Elizabeth and I were the only ones home and she had already gone to bed, but since this seemed like an event worthy of being roused, I ran upstairs to get her — all the time hoping the baby was not injured and wondering what in the world I would do with a wounded baby raccoon in the middle of the night.
By the time we returned, Mama Raccoon had arrived, and they both looked back at us suspiciously as she led Baby away.
I returned to my reading only to hear, a few minutes later, another crash — which this time sounded like a softer landing in the bushes — followed by more pitiful chittering. Evidently Baby was not having a good night. I lifted my eyes only briefly from my book, however, figuring that Mama could be trusted to handle the situation.
God, our heavenly parent, is even more concerned about us than Mama Raccoon was about her baby. Our cries and complaints never fall on deaf ears. God lifts us up after we fall, and keeps coming back to find us time and time again.
As a mother comforts her child,
so I will comfort you…
(Isaiah 66:13)