Of Birds And Men
"Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of
them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. "But the very hairs
of your head are all numbered. "So do not fear; you are more valuable than
many sparrows.
I was about to
take my dogs for a walk, when I noticed my black Labrador playing with
something on the front lawn. I hurried over, thinking my dog had caught a
mouse, but it turned out to be a fledgling Blue jay. The poor thing had
obviously fallen out of the nest and was unable to fly. It was flapping around
our lawn, trying to get away from our three dogs and thirteen cats.
I quickly
scooped it up, noticing it was unharmed, and took it into the house. I fashioned
a nest from a small, round basket and some dried grass. Then I placed the bird
and the nest in our cat carrier so he’d be out of reach of paws with claws. The
fledgling started yelling, opening its beak for food. My husband and I had
noticed a mama Blue jay stealing cat food from the cat dish on our front porch.
So we soaked some dried cat food in water, broke it into smaller pieces and fed
the poor little bird.
Thankfully, he
was mature enough to eat the soggy cat food. We tried worms, too, but they
passed right through him. We tried little bits of hot dog, which he seemed to
like. Amazingly, he made it through the night.
Since then, we’ve
moved the fledgling into a bird cage with a branch on which he can perch. He
flaps his wings and yells like he’s about to take off, but goes nowhere. That’s
because he doesn’t have flight feathers yet, nor any tail feathers to help him
balance.
Today we put
his cage next to our Cockatiel’s and the two of them are calling to each other.
Makes me wonder if the Cockatiel will learn to call like a Blue jay and the
Blue jay to sound like a Cockatiel. That’s okay, we’re all a little different in
this house.
Rescuing a fledgling
has made me realize afresh how much God cares for us and provides all that we
need. This little, tiny creature spends a lot of his time yelling for food or
attention. Makes me wonder if I do the same with God. “God, I need this…,” “God,
could you…,” “God, please help me….,” “God, please provide….” Do I spend most
of my time asking God for this, that or the other thing, and miss out on the
blessing of just resting in His care?
God knows all
about the bird that falls from his nest. But better still, He knows all about
you. He knows your name, he knows your need, and He even knows how many hairs
are on your head. Rest in His tender, loving care and stop fretting about your
circumstances, your finances, your health concerns and your future. Give them
all to the One who longs to give you rest.
The God who saw
the fledgling fall, also sees your heart. And He loves you. Put your trust in
Him today and rest in the warmth and comfort of His mighty hand.
Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for
you (1 Peter 5:7).
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