The other day I saw a picture on Facebook that I found myself going back to a few times. It was a stunning show of how loving and compassionate God’s creatures are. In this picture, there was a bird’s nest, the kind that look like a hollowed out gourd with the opening at the bottom of the nest. The baby bird apparently had slipped out of the nest, it’s wings were too tiny to allow it to fly to safety yet; so as it was falling out of the nest, the mama bird caught it by her beak with her talons dug in and holding on to the nest as she was holding on to her baby. The daddy bird was there beneath the baby and actually pushing the baby bird back up into the nest. You might have seen it too! As I was studying this image, I thought how amazing that these tiny creatures would know what to do instinctively to keep their precious baby from harm.
This whole scenario and imagery in this one picture caused me to pause and take note of the many times through my life that God has reached out and grabbed hold of me and placed me back in his safe and tender care. There are moments that are as vivid as yesterday, and there are a multitude of times, I’m certain, that I am utterly unaware of. I have seen and experienced God’s loving mercies throughout my life and I believe God is there for all of humanity no matter the situation. In small moments of our life or pandemic size moments, God is always Emmanuel, God with us.
May these familiar words from Isaiah, be your prayer, and know that you are God’s beloved.
Isaiah 43:1a -3a
43 Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Blessings,
Brenda