Remember the Sparrows

I love birds. Their sweet, cheerful melodies lift my heart to God. 

Can you imagine what this world would be like without any birds? 

In the winter, I don’t usually see as many birds; nonetheless, some of them are still around. 

I especially see them after my Dad refills our bird feeders in our backyard. I also tend to see them on our bird feeders after a snow storm. The birds know they can usually find birdseed in our backyard. Squirrels seem to know the same thing. This gives our Golden Retriever tremendous delight as she watches the birds and the squirrels from our back living room window. I love to watch our dog intently stare at them. 

I wish I knew the names of the different kinds of birds that come to our backyard. They are fun to watch. I especially love when mourning doves appear on our back deck! Doves are my favorite bird, and I usually see them in pairs! I also love smaller birds like robins and sparrows.

This week, I thought about birds. God mentions them in His Word, sparrows to be specific. 

I had a difficult week. I don’t think most people would’ve known, but inwardly, I was weeping. 

I don’t bother sharing much with others because comments I get can be careless and some say nothing at all. I’m not sure which is worse. 

Just a simple: “I am so sorry you are going through that.” means so much.  

Words like those are rare. 

There are a few people I know who genuinely care, but there aren’t many who do. 

Days like this can make me wonder if God even cares. I know. That sounds so un-spiritual. 

Days of internal weeping and depression can make God seem very far away. 

And then I remembered that King David faced similar things. The Psalms are full of David’s pleas and heart cries to God. David dealt with those same feelings. 

Hear my cry, O God. (Psalm 61) 

Why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me? (Psalm 22) 

Sadly, I think some of those feelings are part of being human. Bad days. We all have them. 

I had several this week. The timing wasn’t great either. The last week of January holds some very unpleasant memories for me. 12 years ago I was given a medication my body did not like at all. How I wish I could re-do that week. But I can’t. 

Sometimes, I tell myself: 

Let it go, Erin. 

I wish I could. But my body won’t let me forget that it is missing something. 

I’m thankful God created us with two of many things. Two ears. Two eyes. Two hands. Two feet. And the list continues. 

If one is taken, you still have another one. 

But having one is not the same as having two. There are consequences when one is gone.

 

God, in His loving-kindness, brought to mind some very precious verses in His Word this week that reminded me that He does care and He does know, even when it might feel like He doesn’t.

Verses like these are profoundly comforting. 

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 

Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

Matthew 10:29-31 

Sparrows. Those sweet, tiny, little birds. Surely, there have to be thousands or even millions of them on the earth. Possibly billions. 

And God knows each one. He knows when one of them falls on the ground. 

How much more God cares about each one of us, so much so, He numbers each hair on our head. Wow! That is mind blowing to me. 

Verses like these cannot be explained away. They are so clear. God knows us intimately. 

He knows my sorrow, and He knows yours. 

And He cares. 

“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 

But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

Luke 12:6-7 

Remember the sparrows.

Behold, He is Coming!

I can’t seem to get away from sharing posts on the return of Christ. I eagerly anticipate His return. What a day it will be! 

As we entered the year of 2025, God laid a special word on my heart this year. Peace. 

True peace only comes from God, being at peace with Him, having a heart that is right with Him. The shed blood of Christ brings peace. Hallelujah for His sacrifice! 

As I watched the inauguration ceremony of the President of the United States yesterday, I thought about the past few years. To me, the past 4 years have flown by. 

And yet, in just the past 4-5 years, I have seen a major shift in the world. To me, something very much changed in our world in 2020 when Covid came on the scene, much more than just the sickness that Covid brought. Bible prophecies are coming to pass quickly. 

Fires. Famines. Natural disasters. There are so many strange viruses out there with Covid in the mix. Pestilence is what the Bible calls it. There are wars and rumors of wars. 

The words of the Lord Jesus from Matthew 24 seem to be happening. I honestly believe the early birth pains have begun for the return of Christ. 

When a woman goes into labor, her contractions become more frequent and more painful until the baby has arrived. 

Birth pain means one thing - a baby is coming! That part brings excitement to those waiting. 

Similarly, as I watch things unfold in our world, unsettling as it is, it also brings excitement to me! Christ is coming! He is on the other side of the birth pains our world is currently experiencing. 

The “baby in the manger” that so many people remember each year isn’t so little anymore. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is coming back soon to gather His people home. 

After that, He is coming to rule and reign over this earth that He has created, for this earth truly does belong to Him. 

Recently, I listened to a song by one of my favorite musicians. His name is James Block. He is a Christian from Canada, and he and his wife live in Jerusalem, Israel. 

He writes songs from Scripture, putting beautiful melodies to them. I have listened to him for years. 

One particular song nearly gave me chills. 

Behold, He is Coming. Click here to listen. 

If you do not personally know God, please know that God loves you so much and wants to give you true peace, peace that is only found in Him. 

He is coming! 

“Behold, he cometh with clouds; 

and every eye shall see him…” 

Revelation 1:7 

Mary’s Sorrow and Song

Mary, the mother of Jesus. So many people know about her, even those who are not Christians. Indeed, many know about Mary, the young, virgin woman God used to bring His Son into the world. 

This past Christmas season, I thought about Mary more than I usually do. Different women in the Bible captivate me at different times. 

Two years ago during this season, my mind was on Rachel, the mother of Joseph. This year, my mind was on Mary, the mother of Jesus. 

Mary was Jewish. Her real name was not Mary, but Miriam. 

In an attempt to blur her Jewish identity, the Catholic church changed her name to Mary, when in fact, her real name was Miriam. Such a lovely Hebrew name! 

Since most people know her as Mary, I will refer to her as Mary in this post, but I thought her real name was worth mentioning.

Today, no one knows exactly what Mary looked like. Mary was a young, Jewish woman from the Israelite tribe of Judah and the line of King David. 

Sadly, the Catholic church not only changed Mary’s true, Hebrew name, they also elevated Mary to the same level as God. That is not right. 

Although Mary considered herself blessed, Mary clearly stated that she also needed a Savior: 

“And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” 

Luke 1:46-47 

Mary, Miriam, was a virgin and likely young when she gave birth to Christ. Although no one knows for sure how old Mary was, many Bible scholars guess her to be around the age of 15 when she brought the Messiah into this world. 

Women were married young back then, quite often in their teen years. As young as that sounds, I know it is true because my Great Grandmother Josephine was married at the age of 15 somewhere around the year of 1920. Cultures surely do change with time. 

The conception and birth of Christ, God’s Son, the Messiah, was indeed miraculous! 

Mary was a virgin. Mary had never been with a man, intimately, before. 

The Bible says that the Holy Spirit came upon Mary, and that is how Jesus was conceived. 

Truly, a miracle! 

I thought about Mary and what she must have gone through. As a young, Godly, Jewish woman, she was betrothed to be married to a man named Joseph who was also Jewish from the tribe of Judah and the line of King David. 

I can only imagine her joy and excitement to be betrothed to a Godly, Jewish man. 

The ancient Israelite “betrothal” was similar to our “engagement” today except that a betrothal was more serious. 

The promises that were made during a betrothal were similar to wedding vows. 

Today, if you are engaged to be married to someone, you can break things off if needed because no vows or promises are usually made. 

In ancient Israel, betrothals were never broken unless someone was found unfaithful while waiting for the actual wedding day. It was serious. 

As Mary was betrothed, preparing to be married, I can only imagine what Mary must have felt as an angel appeared to her to let her know that she had found favor with God and that God was going to use her to bring His Son into this world. 

Mary’s response to the angel shows her willing heart: 

“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” 

Luke 1:38 

I can only imagine all of Mary’s emotions and thoughts that must have followed. What would her parents think? What would her friends think? What would Joseph think when she told him? 

I tried to put myself in Mary’s situation. 

What if I was engaged to be married (I am not), and then told my parents, my friends, and my husband to be that I was expecting a baby? 

Oh, and the baby? 

I am carrying the Son of God inside of me. 

Those who know me would think something like… 

“Uh, yeah right, Erin. You honestly expect us to believe that?”

“You were with someone, and you just don’t want to admit it.” 

“Carrying the Son of God? That is a little far out, Erin.” 

Those would surely be the thoughts of my parents, my friends, and husband to be if I tried to make claims like that. 

And yet, that is exactly what Mary faced and went through. 

Today, Mary is highly praised. I don’t think I have ever heard anyone speak negatively of Mary. 

Why not?

Because we know that she birthed God’s Son.  

Today, little girls want to be “Mary” at nativities. Rightfully so. Mary was highly favored by God. 

I remember my sister Cheri and myself, when we were little girls, living in our little brick home in Michigan. We would run down the hallway to our bedroom to get our baby dolls so we could rock them in our arms when the song “Away in a Manger” played on a Christmas CD we had. We would rock our baby dolls like Mary rocking baby Jesus. Such precious memories now! 

We know Mary had baby Jesus, the Son of God. 

But Mary’s family, her friends, and her husband to be did not know that at first. 

By all appearances, it looked like Mary had been unfaithful to Joseph. So much so, Joseph was afraid to marry her - to take her to be his wife. 

God came to Joseph in a dream to let him know that everything was okay. Mary had told the truth. 

Undoubtedly, Mary would have faced tremendous misjudgment from family and friends, though she had done nothing wrong.

Mary was blessed and highly favored by God. But Mary would have also carried tremendous sorrow from the misjudgment of others. 

The Christmas holiday came from the Catholic church. That is very easy to see. 

Christ-Mass = Christmas

Although my family and I are not Catholic, I enjoy the opportunity to remember Christ’s birth. 

On Christmas Eve, we enjoy an array of finger foods for supper such as: vegetables and dip, crackers and cheese, turkey or beef sausage, cookies, chocolates, and other treats. After supper, we go into our living room to watch a film on DVD we own titled: 

 “The Nativity”

This DVD is so well done, and I enjoy watching it every year on Christmas Eve before bed. This is something we have done for the past 15 years or so since it is a newer film. 

This film shows, very well, the misjudgment Mary would have faced from others who knew her.

Although Mary knew where her baby came from, she felt judgment from others. 

Baby Jesus’ real Hebrew name was Yeshua, something else the Catholic church changed in an effort to blur His Jewish identity.

When He was eight days old, the Bible says that Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem to the Temple to be circumcised according to God’s law. 

While they were there, a man named Simeon took baby Jesus in his arms and blessed Him. He proclaimed some beautiful things over Him, and then turned to Mary and said: 

“And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; 

Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Luke 2:34-35 

A sword shall pierce through thy own soul. Yes, indeed. Mary already knew what that felt like. Mary would face even more sorrow as she watched her Son hang in agony while dying on a tree one day for the sins of the whole world. 

Mary knew sorrow very well. 

I have come to realize that the people God uses greatly often suffer tremendously. 

Mary literally carried God’s Son inside of her. Today, true Christians have God’s Spirit living inside of them. Like Mary, when we carry Christ inside of us, there are some who will not like it, and there are some who will misjudge. 

Mary was not praised by people then the way that she is praised today. 

Despite her sorrow, Mary carried a song within her, a song that is recorded in God’s Word. 

Mary’s song is recorded in Luke 1:46-55. 

Mary knew exactly why her Son, the Messiah, came. He came to fulfill a promise made to Abraham and to Abraham’s seed - the children of Israel. Her son had come to redeem the children of Israel back to God. 

This undoubtedly gave Mary much joy which resulted in a song. Mary got to be part of God’s promise fulfilled in bringing His Son into the world.

“And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.”

Luke 1:46-55