I have to confess that today I am simply reveling in the goodness, grace and mercy of my loving Father. As I am sitting out on my deck under the umbrella, a warm soothing breeze ("summer breeze makes me feel fine..") blows over my skin. I have everything I need or want at the moment.
We have a lovely tree line behind our home, and we put up bird feeders because I love the song birds. It brings such joy to my heart to listen to them sing their songs of praise and adoration to our glorious King.
I consider those little tiny finches quite often. So tiny and harmless really...They are brightly colored and zip and zing around do deftly that I have a hard time following their movement all the time yet God knows every single one of them - by name. He provides for them in every storm and strong wind. He urges them to go to warmer places when the fall arrives and protects them during winters long cold days and nights.
We can surely learn a lesson from these birds, from the example of God's care and goodness we see in their continued existence; His eye is on them and he preserves them in every season of their life until He calls them home to Himself.
“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34 (NASB)
I certainly don't toss this passage out there lightly, for I have been on the other side of where I am now! I have wondered where the money was going to come from for this bill or that, how I was going to get food on the table, or gas in my car. I don't live on some spiritual Utopian planet, I live in the trenches with everyone else. So, I suppose I believe I am "qualified" to give you such counsel.
I am between storms right now, but that could certainly change by nightfall.
Although my circumstances may change, my God won't change. He will remain the same steadfast, consistent, loving, merciful, gracious Father that He is in these days of rest and reprieve from battle.
I intend to enjoy this lull in the action, because I suspect that when the next squall blows in it will be a doozy.
