Flocking Together

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens... When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?  Psalm 8:1,3 & 4

I never cease to be amazed at the evidences of God’s handiwork in the natural world.  Sometimes I step outdoors just to feel a bit closer to my Heavenly Father.  My heart is lifted in songs of praise when I see the detail and variety within His creation.  Maybe that’s why the Psalms are so special to Christians.  David, too, was inspired as a shepherd boy by the wonders of God surrounding him in the outdoors. 

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.  There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.  Psalm 19:1-3

As the birds return from their winter havens, I’m filled with questions concerning their ways.  Why do birds travel in flocks?  Is it to find the best feeding grounds?  Is it for the protection of traveling in numbers?  Is it because there will always be others watching for danger?  Is it the companionship of others of like kind?  Is it to be part of a whole that has the same needs and seeks the same goals?  It’s probably all of these and even more reasons beside.  Matthew 6:26 says that God cares about them and sees that they are fed. 

Look at the birds of 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?  Matthew 6:26

Sad to say, we may be adding another widow to the church family soon.  Her mate of many years is in the final stages of lung cancer.  We’ve seen this tragic drama played out too many times in our little congregation.  It’s a time when the Body of Christ can be most comforting.  In fact, in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 we see that God Himself has that very thing in mind:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

“…so that we will be able to comfort…”  This is how God’s Family is supposed to function.  The security of knowing others surround us who know what we need.  Like a flock of birds, moving and feeding together – watching out for one another.  Just like God planned it!

Love as always,  Elaine (thankful for the Flock!)

Meant to Soar

At this time of year, I’m very interested in bird migration.  March came in like a lion, devastating the South while driving migrating geese north ahead of schedule.  It must be a comfort for them to find last year’s cornfields devoid of snow cover.  What a welcome rest stop on their arduous journey to the Arctic!  I never tire of watching hundreds, maybe even thousands, of geese banking and preparing to land nearby.  The Snow Geese are particularly beautiful as they scatter and regroup.  They wheel in the sky catching the sun on their blinding whiteness like silver glitter blown in the wind!  The black tips of their wings are only visible as they stall and bank in for a landing.

Sad to say, as gorgeous as they are in flight, they are just that plain while gathered on the ground.  They become ordinary barnyard geese grubbing in the wet mud.  Not very impressive at all!  It occurs that we as Christians are very much like them.  Our grubbing about in the daily routines of life doesn’t define who we really are.  We are meant to be lights on a hill, drawing others to Christ as Jesus explained in Matthew 5:14-16:

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

It’s so easy to become mired down by our chores and time constraints.  If we don’t make room or time for God and His Word, we’re nothing but ordinary barnyard geese.  When that happens the world cannot not see the shining triumph of life lived in Christ.  A life that is lifted above this temporal earth, focused on eternity!

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.   Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.   Colossians 3:1-2

Love as always,  Elaine (eyes on the sky!)

Treasure in the Snow

And now for the exciting snow update.  Today we awoke to our first snowstorm of the season!  Pretty puny at five inches but it’s still snow to be cleared.

During winter storms I’m always concerned about our birds (and so is Farah!)  Because we’ve had a mild winter we haven’t many winter customers to our feeder out back but I become very attached to the few that come.  A flock of goldfinches and several Amer. tree sparrows regularly stop by to refuel.  Blue jays throw the seed on the ground and the dark-eyed juncos gratefully clean it up.  This morning our trees were crowded with disgruntled mourning doves.  I’m glad I thought to fill the feeder yesterday or they might have brought their picket signs!  They are more dependent on feeders when snow covers the ground.  But those brave juncos, trusting there is seed under it all, come and dig through until they found the treasure they crave!  Their past experience told them there would be food -- no matter how bleak the prospects appeared.

Look at the birds of 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?  Matthew 6:26

We should all be like those trusting little birds.  In the midst of life's storms, we can always find the treasure we seek in God's Word.  It's been there for us in the past and, no matter how blurred and confused our present may be, His wisdom will continue to comfort and guide us!  Remember how Jesus answered Satan's temptation to turn the stones into bread while He was fasting in the wilderness in Luke 4:4?

But He answered him, saying, 'It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'

We’ll be well fed, too, by feeding daily on His precious Word!

Love as always,  Elaine (where’s that shovel?)