Genesis 1:20 – Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living
creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the
heavens." (NASB)
During the week between this past Christmas and New Year's, two white, pea-size
eggs were carefully deposited in a nest the dimensions of an enlarged,
thumb-sized thimble. The nest had been painstakingly constructed from spider
webs and soft plant parts, and was lined with soft plant down, then adorned with
bits of gray-green lichen to camouflage it perfectly. However, this nest was in
full view on a bare, horizontal branch of a California sycamore tree, the leaves
having fallen to the ground.
This phenomenon stirred the attention and hearts of residents and employees
alike. A steady line of walkers and wheelchairs came to observe the mother
hummingbird keeping the eggs and babies warm after they hatched. For several
days, they are unable to generate their own body heat, so the female had to deal
with the conflict of gathering food for them, while not being off the nest for
long stretches. When the female leaves the nest to forage, she collects nectar,
pollen, and tiny insects and returns to the nest, where she regurgitates the
energy-rich slurry into the mouths of the nestlings — a magnificent sight!
It was three weeks before the eggs hatched; the total elapsed time from
egg-laying to fledging was approximately five to six weeks. When the nestlings
finally left the nest, they were completely grown and naturally able to begin
foraging on their own. Their human onlookers expressed sadness to see that the
two birds and their mother had left the nest.
Observing this miracle of creation, so up-close-and-personal, gave me thought:
If God takes care of the birds so lovingly, will He not care for us as well?
Matthew 6:26 – 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? (NIV)
The birds are a witness to God's compassionate, providential care. God feeds the
birds. It is virtually a miracle that the birds can sustain themselves. But God
is the provider. If so, the birds point us toward God's continual care for us.
Jesus used the birds as an illustration of why not to worry. The apostle Peter
carries on that theme:
1 Peter 5:7 – Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (NKJV)
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for providing us with this living example of
Your creation and providential care for the birds of the air. Grant us the
understanding and appreciation of Your continual care for us each and every day.
This we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
Parise Arakelian, Arcadia, California
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