"Look to the birds in the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matt. 6:26

My love for birds began when I was a little girl. My Grandmother instilled it upon my heart that birds are special creatures. My memories are of her and I sitting quietly watching birds at the feeders. The feeders were surrounded by a pine grove and it seemed my feathered friends had their own little world. She knew something special about each bird, she could tell by the song they sang exactly what type of bird was near by, she wanted me to have a deep appreciation of this blessing from God. 

Each bird is special, unique it it's own way. I love to watch a bright red cardinal feeding his mate, a good example of a caring relationship. Birds have taught me quite a few lessons as I've observed them over the years, right in my own back yard.

Last Spring a robin decided to build her a nest in our garage. Why she chose a box full of old lights on a shelf high in the noisy garage, only she knows. Have you ever looked closely at a bird's nest ? To me it's as highly sophisticated as a skyscraper, each little twig woven carefully into place and a final layer of a soft substance to make it comfortable for the baby birds when they arrive. We soon heard the chirping and saw the mouths of four baby birds open wide waiting for mom to bring them food. Mrs. Robin worked diligently all day bringing food to her family, it was never an easy task. Our concern was for the day when the babies would finally get their first flying lesson, because waiting just below on the floor in the garage were our two kittens.

Each day we would keep a watchful eye for any sign of a baby bird trying to leave the nest, so that we could distract the cats and all would be well. One morning from inside the house we could hear a very loud chirping noise coming from outside, i was afraid one of the cats may have succeeded in his long awaited feast. We went outside and couldn't believe that the mother robin had gathered about ten of her robin friends to help her. Together this ensemble were making enough noise to cause the cats a second thought, they backed off and the baby birds had the opportunity to test their new wings without hindrance. They never came back to their nest but we saved it in the garage as a beautiful keepsake and the remembrance of how God's plan of protection worked for the Robin family. If God cares so much for even the tinniest of birds, how much He must love us.

I'll share one other lesson that I learned from my friend the bird. One day I heard a loud thump on our sliding glass door and upon investigating I found a little finch had hit the door so hard that he knocked himself out cold. I put him in a shoe box and brought him inside so those pesky cats I mentioned before would not think of him as their dinner. I could see that the bird was still alive, his eyes were open but he was in a daze and just sat still. I put him in the guest room (of course we was after all a guest) and kept going in to check on him. I would carefully lift the lid of the shoebox and each time he would be sitting there still in a daze. The last time I opened the box out he flew with much gusto ! He was in a panic, flying all over the room. He finally spied the closed window and decided this was his way out, but alas he banged his head again and landed on the window sill. After all this struggling, he finally let me near the window and I opened it for him and away he flew without a problem.

How often do we do things the hardest way possible without letting the Lord help us with our problems. He is always there ready to open the door and show us the way, if we but ask.

The first mention of birds in the Bible is in Genesis 1:20 "Let the birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." I'm sure God had many purposes in mind when He created the birds.  

Matt 6:26 is a wonderful blessing, each time we see a bird let us think of it as a reminder, what God who cares and watches over each one of them, loves us dearly. He does not want us to worry or be discouraged. He wants us to put all our faith and trust in Him in every situation. To borrow a line from a favorite song, " His Eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me..."

"Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself where she may have her young....a place near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God" Psalms 84:3

May God Bless

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Last modified: March 26, 2006