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.