Looking at the Birds

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 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 6:25-26

I took the boys for a walk outside today. Considering that the landscape outside our apartment includes two main roads, a plaza, a few gas stations, and a McDonald's, I don't expect to see much in the way of wildlife during our walks. Today, however, we watched two gray squirrels nibble on a snack before chasing each other up a tree, and we saw several birds, including a friendly robin who hopped alongside us for a few moments. We have been especially interested in robins ever since we discovered a robin's nest in the young tree outside our window a few weeks ago. For a few days last week, we even had the privilege of watching the mama robin feed her baby birds! It was difficult to get a good picture, since the mama robin got upset every time I came too close to the tree, but I finally managed to get this photo of mama bird on her nest:



And here is one of the hungry babies reaching up for his meal (the other two in the nest ducked before I snapped the photo). If you look carefully, you can see the mama robin watching me from the branches.



I am so fascinated by the way God designed nature, and I am thankful for this glimpse He gave me. The mama robin knows instinctively how to build a cozy nest, how to defend her babies from predators, and how to find the perfect food to feed her little ones. The babies trust and rely on their parents for the food that sustains them and for guidance in learning how to fly. And if even these little creatures matter to the Creator, how much more valuable am I, one of His own children! Why do I waste precious time and energy worrying about where we will live, whether we will be able to afford a house, or how we will feed our family if my husband quits his steady job to embark on some risky business venture? My security must not be in a steady job or a well-padded bank account, but in Christ alone. Thank you, Father, for feeding these little birds, and for reminding me that I am cherished, safe, and provided for in Your hands.