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Gleanings From The Word

Category: creation

  • Goose Feathers and maturity in Christ

    Goose Feathers and maturity in Christ

    Canada goose wings spread wide

    I stood and watched the two goose feathers dancing on the lake  in the breeze. One was curved like a “c” and floated on the rounded part of its back. The other was shaped like an upside-down “u” and floated on the uprights.

    Each danced differently along the surface of the water. The “c”-shaped feather swirled, while the “u”-shaped feather walked and skipped along the surface. Eventually, they touched, joined together, and danced with a new rhythm. When the two joined, they rolled and tumbled across the surface.

    As I watched them, a goose landed nearby. The wake of its landing hit the feathers, and they quickly sank into the lake.

    The feathers were light and had no problem standing up to the gentle breeze along the water. When the waves picked up, they could not stay afloat any longer.

    The same thing can happen to believers. We can be deceived and easily sunk when we do not know the truth of God’s Word.

    He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.  Ephesians 4:10-16 NIV

    God has given each of us a calling and a ministry. Part and parcel of attaining that calling, and completing that ministry, is growing up in the faith. If we remain infants we can be blown around, confused and eventually even loose heart. We will not lose our salvation if that happens, but we miss out on much of the blessing and purpose that God has designed and planned for us.

    Floating close to the feathers was a stick. It stayed the course while the feathers danced around. It stayed the course when the goose landed. I suspect that even if the goose had landed on the stick, it would simply have popped back up and stayed the course once more.

    As mature Christians, we can exhibit all the joy and freedom of the dancing feathers, but still stay the course like the floating stick. We have the best of both worlds.

    Until next time, may you grow ever more like Christ.

    Be blessed

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

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  • For the Birds – God’s provision

    For the Birds – God’s provision

    male white-crowned sparrow

    Our yard is aflutter with birds. The rear of the property is fenced, keeping out most predators. The seed feeders and hummingbird feeders (in season) stay busy with various birds. The trees and brush provide plenty of nesting sites.

    We see chickadees, dark-eyed juncos, nuthatches, robins, Northern Flickers,  sapsuckers, doves, half a dozen species of sparrow, varied thrushes, common redpolls, and many more species regularly. There are also many LBJ’s (little brown jobs, small birds that I don’t get a close enough look at to identify). 

    We can watch bald eagles, hawks, ravens, and crows soar above us.  Geese and ducks often fly noisily overhead. The other day a flock of sandhill cranes flew overhead whooping away as they traveled. At dawn and dusk we are serenaded by a wide range of song birds.

    We often sit in the yard and watch and listen. Many birds are so accustomed to us that they will come within a couple of feet of us. We are not seen as a threat unless we suddenly move in their direction.

    A passage of Scripture often comes to mind as I watch them. 

    “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 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? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:25-34 ESV

    Appropriate words for the times we are in. 

    Our security nets have eroded. The political world is in chaos, and our economies are in shambles. There are wars, rumors of wars, plagues, and natural disasters on what seems an unprecedented level.

    Yet the birds go about their daily lives, completely unaware of what makes us fearful. God looks after them and will watch over us as well. Things might be difficult for a season, but He has not abandoned us, nor will He.

    The LORD  is our source, our strength, our comfort, and He is our peace. We can rest in Him whether things get better or worse. No matter what the world throws at us, we can withstand it joyfully in Him.

    When it gets too much, take a minute to watch and listen to the birds and look to the Savior. If you live where birds are scarce, go online and watch some videos of them.

    Until next time, consider the birds and trust in Jesus.

    Be blessed

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

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