Filling the wild bird feeder in our backyard with seed is a rewarding job. It gives my family the opportunity to watch many different types of birds come to feed. The trees in back of our house and surrounding properties are now filled with the chirps, whistles and songs of a plethora of winged vocalists all competing for which can produce the sweetest sounds.
I have always liked birds; especially the brightly colored ones...hummingbirds are my favorite. As I grew older however, my heart was drawn to the little sparrows. Sometimes there are as many as a hundred and fifty at a time in our yard with more in the trees. I once made a futile attempt at counting them--an impossible task with all the moving around they do. But it is when just one lingers up close to me, waiting for a scrap of bread, chirping and cocking his little head to the side while looking into my eyes that I get that tender feeling inside towards them. They are so fragile and small, and sometimes I can get them to trust me enough to linger for a long time up close. It gives me a true sense of love for these creatures, a desire to protect them and care for them. God too, cares for the sparrows. So much so that Jesus used them as an example of how much God cares for us and wants to protect us and provide for our every need.
"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Luke 12:6-7
Today I began thinking of how small and weak a sparrow is compared to us humans and how much smarter a person is than a little bird with a pea sized brain. This made me pause to think of how big and wise God is in comparison to us. When God looks at us He sees a frail little human with such limited knowledge and He must have that same sort of tender feeling towards you and me as I do towards the sparrows, only much more so. He tells us that He loves the sparrows and then indicates that He loves us a whole lot more than He loves the birds of the air. He wants to protect us, to feed and provide for us and to lead us home to be with Him forever in glory.
(For a deeper insight, read a few verses from Matthew chapter 6 verses 25 thru 34.)
If those sparrows would only trust me; I could do a much better job of protecting them and feeding them, but they always fly away in fear.
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Nice little devotional; good attention-getting beginning and good word pictures throughout. I enjoyed it. Good message also as well as good writing. Thanks for sharing.
