It's Not Just "For the Birds"

Matthew 6:26 (ESV)
"Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"

Outside my kitchen window, a sparrow of some sort, perhaps a "Common Redpoll" according to a photo I looked up, built a nest underneath the porch rafters. I had considered early on discouraging it from building its nest there, but then decided I would enjoy having such a close view of the nest, to see all the "stages" unfold before my eyes.

It HAS been fun to see the momma bird come and go, trying to keep up with what looks like FOUR hungry mouths to feed! Oftentimes when I hear the clamor of little baby birds chirping, I know that the momma bird has returned with food; I hurry over to the kitchen sink, and from my "front row seat" (window), I get to watch all the activity.

In my Bible reading this morning from Psalm 104:27-30, I read this:
27 "These all look to you,
    to give them their food in due season.
28 When you give it to them, they gather it up;
    when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
    when you take away their breath, they die
    and return to their dust.
30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,
    and you renew the face of the ground." (ESV)

Every time I hear and see those little birds with their mouths wide open in eager and frantic expectation of food, I can't help but think of my own relationship with my Abba Father God and ask myself: Do I look to Him for my food--not just for my physical sustenance, but for my soul? Do I gather up the "soul food" he provides and allow Him to fill me with good things?

I do know that "when He hides His face from me," I am dismayed. But I do realize that He is not really the One who is hiding His face from me, but rather I have turned my back on Him and I cannot see His face when the "eyes of my heart" are looking in the opposite direction! I remember that when Father God turned His face away from His own Son who was bearing the sin and shame of the whole world on the cross, that meant that God would never turn His face away from His "adopted children," which includes me! So I am the one who must turn, must repent, and fix my eyes once more on Jesus, "the Author and perfecter of my faith!" (Hebrews 12:2)

As I went outside to turn on the sprinkler yesterday, I saw a little baby bird lying facedown on the ground, dead. Since it was only a few feet away from the nest I've been watching, I wondered if it might have come from there. I will see if I can count how many mouths are now still poking up out of that nest! As the baby birds have been growing quite rapidly, I figured it would not be very long before that little nest would become just too small to hold four growing birds! Perhaps that little bird grew impatient and decided he was ready to escape the nest and fend for himself. Perhaps he grew impatient waiting for his mother to return each time with something to eat. Or perhaps he was forced out, or even pushed (quite by accident, I'm sure!). Whatever the circumstances, his life was over before he got to see the world; however, its fall did not escape Father God's attention (Matthew 10:29); nor does any calamity that befalls me escape my Father's attention!

I'm reminded that not even death can separate me from the love of God! (Romans 8:38-39)

What does He require of me then? "To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him." (Micah 6:8) He wants me to "walk in His steps," (1 Peter 2:21), to "taste and see that the Lord is good!" (Psalm 34:8)
"Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" (Psalm 27:14)
"They who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

I'm going to continue watching this little bird family and try to learn more lessons!