I’m not an ornithologist, but I love watching birds. Three weeks ago we moved back to our home in Wisconsin and I have been enjoying watching many of the birds return after a long, hard, cold winter. I started to make a list of all the birds we have seen. Here is a partial list:
- Black Crowned Night Heron
- Canadian Geese
- Great Egret
- Sandhill Crane
- Common Seagull
- 10. Black Crow
- White Pelican
- Cardinal
- Robins
- Red Wing Blackbird
- Mallards
- Morning Dove
- Common Merganser
- Chipping Sparrow
Each of them is beautiful. Each of them is unique.
This morning as I was drinking my coffee and watching a couple of seagulls flying along the shore looking for food, I was reminded of a simple lesson that helped Brenda and me when we felt overwhelmed as we cared for David. It comes from a lesson Jesus taught his followers about dealing with anxiety. Here is what it says,
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Matthew 6:25-27
If God cares for a flock of sparrows or a Sandhill Crane looking for leftover corn in the farmers’ field, doesn’t it make sense that he will care for us? It is my belief that God knows us, loves us, and wants us to trust that he will meet our needs. Brenda and I would often start our day off claiming and believing in this truth. Did it remove every ounce of worry and anxiety? Not always, but it sure helped us take one day at a time.
I hope today as you see a robin tugging at a worm in your garden or a gold finch eating from your bird feeder this afternoon that you will be reminded of God’s love and concern for you and your family.