Sweet husband was not very pleased when she first decided a couple of years ago to build her home on our home. He would take the nest down, hoping to encourage her to rebuild elsewhere. But, within a day a new nest would be neatly in the place of the former.
Thinking that, perhaps, the momma bird wouldn't want to build her nest in an occupied site...one year sweet husband placed a small white ceramic rabbit on the ledge of the eave. The next day, a perfectly woven nest lay next to the bunny, which actually looked like it was standing guard over the robin's castle. I'm sorry I didn't ever get a photo of that humorous set-up.
After that, sweet husband, resigned to defeat, decided to allow the occasional tenant to roost on our eave.
She's presently with us. I've tried to take her picture several times to no avail. She's camera shy. But today, either I got lucky or she just decided to indulge me.
I snapped a couple of photos and momma bird's patience was short-lived. She flew away, all the while letting me know that she did not appreciate my persistent intrusion. She stayed close-by, landing in a maple tree right across the driveway from her nest...
This has been a timely visit from our seasonal tenant, and God has used it to remind me of His intentional care for His children. It's a reminder He knew I would need at this moment...in this season.
Jesus told His disciples, "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? And which of you being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?... But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Matthew 6:26-27, 33-34)
My greatest sin struggle is fear. I fear tight, closed-in spaces. I fear heights. I fear flying. I fear rejection. I fear failure. I fear man. It's truly a miracle that I'm not a hermit. I think I could be a happy one...as long as I had plenty of room and was on the ground-floor.
Fear is debilitating. It makes me incapable of a rational thought process, turning my mind into a cesspool of irrational, insane, immobilizing imaginations. I can take the most innocent of situations and warp them into heinous hypothetical "what ifs"...and begin to panic because tragedy might be impending and I might not be able to control it!
Thankfully, God brought a Biblical counselor named Tom Webb into my life and he challenged me to think intentionally...and to be aware of what I was thinking when I didn't have anything to think about. Try it. It's very telling about your heart when you become aware of where your mind goes in a lull of activity.
Jerry Bridges says in "Trusting God" (a book I need to read at least once a year!), "Obeying God is worked out within well-defined boundaries of God's revealed will. Trusting God is worked out in an arena that has no boundaries."
There is a reason that we are instructed in God's Word to "...take every thought captive in obedience to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5) ...and to "Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3: 2-3) ...and to intentionally think about "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable. [whatever is] excellent and worthy of praise." (Philippians 4: 8) He wants us to have the "peace that surpasses all understanding [and] guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4: 7)...but, it comes at a cost...our fear.
So...as I've been pondering the momma bird and reminding myself that if God is caring for her how much more He is caring for His children... I am challenged to trust God to care for Josh and Meggie in Brooklyn, NY. I am challenged to trust God to care for Bethany and Peter as they prepare to become parents to Hudson. I am challenged to trust God to care for Jake and Loren as they wrestle with family planning and college ministry. I am challenged to trust God to care for Drew as he fights to hate sin and stand firm on Christ, the solid rock.
I am challenged to...
“Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand.
Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.
“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee thy trouble to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not harm thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
“The soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose,
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.” (written by John Keith, 1787)
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