God's Care is Not Just for the Birds

2 P&P Weekly Blog for the week of 13-19 May 2023

We put a wooden birdhouse up on our front porch post. We’ve enjoyed sparrows and finches nesting within this space for the last few years. Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen evidence of sparrows’ nest-building. Dried pieces of grass, twigs, feathers, and such have been seen protruding from the opening. There have been these same types of leavings on the porch floor. And yesterday, as we prepared to take a walk, I told Doug to pause and listen—because you could hear newborn hatchlings—chirping.

Wooden birdhouse on our front porch

Spring is a beautiful season of life. God is active between the bird's songs and activity, the first buds on the trees, and the Fall bulbs rising. He’s sowing miracles. He’s showing off His artistry and creativity. And these sights and sounds are meant to draw us near His heart. They are here to convey His love, faithfulness, and attention—to the earth and our lives.

I cherish the places in God’s Word where He uses creation to teach us. For instance, in Matthew 6:26-27 He uses birds, specifically, and His care and feeding of them, as an illustration for His provision. Verses 28-29 talk about how He clothes the flowers of the field in more splendor than Solomon’s attire as king. Then, Jesus asks why we worry about these earthly things. In verses 30-31, the grass gets a mention—to connect the idea that it’s here one day and gone the next—and He asks why we have so little faith.

In this one passage, the Lord brings our attention to four living or growing things that He’s made and connects them to reasons for us to trust Him. And in verse 33, He brings the idea home by telling us to “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” In other words, if the Lord is our first priority—He promises to meet our needs. Philippians 4:19 backs up this promise as well.

So today, no matter where you are or where you go … I’d ask you to do me a favor … stop, sit, and relax for a few moments among God’s wondrous creations—and apply this lesson. Choose one thing He’s made—then thank the Lord for how it displays to your heart that He is with you, providing for you, or showing you His loving-kindness. Then as verse 34 tells us, don’t worry about tomorrow because it (and you) are held in the Creator, Almighty God’s omnipotent hands!

Here is the full account of these verses so you can meditate upon them fully: “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 than food and the body more 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? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:25-34 NIV

Thank You, Father God, for using nature to display Your heart of love to us every day. Amen.

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