Sparrows

                      

                                                                    Sparrows

 

When I scroll through Facebook, I always pause at nature photos.  Recently, I came across a number of posts featuring  birds from all over the world. One photo of Grandalas birds from India particularly captured my attention. The photo showed a number of small blue birds in a tree. The color of the birds was a strikingly brilliant shade of blue. I shared the post and got many “likes”.  Other viewers were also intrigued by these beautiful birds.

 

When Jesus walked on the earth, He often referenced things in nature to illustrate God’s character. When He taught about the depth of the Father’s care for us, He said that not one sparrow falls to the ground without the Father noticing. (Matthew 10:29).

 

Sparrows.  They are found in every continent of the world except Antarctica . There are sparrows in cities as well as in the country.  They are tiny and brown.  They are ordinary. Somehow, I doubt that I would get as many “likes” for a photo of a sparrow as I did for the exotic blue birds from India. Yet, it is the lowly sparrow that God chose to mention in the New Testament.

 

Some people in our world are like the brilliant blue Grandalas birds from India. They stand out in physical beauty or in talent. They capture the world’s attention. Like the exotic blue birds, they are admired by many.

 

Most of us, however, are more like the sparrow.  Ordinary.  We live out our lives but may never be showcased on tv or written about in the newspaper. Yet, like the sparrow, the Father’s eye is on us.

 

I am glad that when Jesus described the Father’s tender care, He spoke of sparrows. God loves the ordinary as well as the exotic. 

 

The next time you look outside and see a sparrow, pause and thank the Father for His tender care.

Shouts of Joy

                                                                  

“He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” Zechariah 3:17

“Daddy!” The little boy shouted as he ran into the arms of the soldier standing in the school auditorium.  The child did not know that his dad was coming home on leave. The surprise reunion was held during a school assembly and was broadcast on the evening news.  The boy’s shouts of joy touched the hearts of all who heard it.

How do people generally respond to good news? Smiles and words of happiness are common .  But it takes something special - like an unexpected arrival of a deployed father - to bring shouts of joy.

The Bible says that our Heavenly Father is so glad to see us that He greets us with shouts of joy.  He is never too busy. He is never annoyed that we are back again. His expression of delight doesn’t lessen no matter how many times a day we run to Him or how many times we stumble and fall. He shouts with joy whenever we come into His Presence.

How would our lives be different if we really believed this?  We would spend more time  with the One who loves us deeply.  We would quickly turn to Him with our problems.  And we would run to Him with our joys. We would completely trust this God whose love is so extravagant.

The Apostle Paul prays that he might “know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19). How can we know a love that surpasses knowledge?  In the next verse, Paul  describes God as One who is “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20).   

My prayer is that the God who can do all things would show me more of His love. Even though human ears cannot hear the sound, I pray that my heart would believe that He is shouting with joy as I turn towards Him.  Let’s join together in this prayer.