I heard a loud thud. It sounded like a package delivery hit the front door. I checked. On the ground lay a beautiful, bright red cardinal. He had flown into the glass doors. I watched for a moment hoping he was only stunned. He wasn’t. Suddenly, it hit me. God knew he had fallen. There was a presence of God with that tiny bird.
It sounds strange, but Jesus says exactly that: “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God” (Luke 12:6). This echoes Psalm 50:11. “I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.” The idea is simple. The Creator is attentive to all His creation. The crashed cardinal reminded me of God’s constant interest in my life.
What Does Jesus Mean?
If we return to Luke’s record, we see that Jesus is really talking about our fears. We need not fear other people because our Father is over all. He is greater than any other. In Luke 12, Jesus reminds us how “cheap” a bird is, two pennies, while we are obviously worth far more. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said it this way:
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (Matthew 5:26)
Like today, birds are everywhere. While some are more valuable than others, none are equivalent to any person. But if God cares for the insignificant, won’t he care much more for us? Yes! Of course, he will!
God is ever-present in your life. He knows the pain and trials. I love David’s words when under attack by enemies all around. “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? (Psalm 50:8). God alone could sustain him. He writes: “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22).
What a blessing that our God not only knows but cares too!
For Right Now
In this season of Thanksgiving, remember the blessing of God’s Presence, His nearness, in your life. It’s expected that we will be thankful for the material things of life or families, and for the church/ But these are things easily seen and remembered. This year, add to your thanksgiving list the presence of God. More than that, lean on His presence daily. Cry out to him and be heard. Pam Tebow writes of her daughter Christy, who says: “God never wastes our pain when it’s offered to Him.” Give God your struggles, Warm in the light of his presence and be satisfied.
