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Gleanings From The Word

Category: devotional

  • 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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  • Big Bucks and the Dangers of Pride

    Big Bucks and the Dangers of Pride

    Whitetail buck standing by the treeline on the edge of a field

    I had never seen a whitetail buck that big. He was a large, well-muscled animal with an atypical rack, much larger than the buck in this photo.

    Even though it was hunting season, he proudly strutted from the tree line across the field. He rattled his rack against a tree and snorted loudly several times before entering the clearing.

    He was big and knew he was a prime catch for all the ladies. The buck seemed intent on making an entrance and impressing the couple of does I knew were in the area.

    He knew I was there. I was upwind of him, and he stopped to catch the scents on the wind before he left the trees. He was more interested in the does than he was afraid of me.

    Fortunately for him, I wasn’t hunting. I was only passing through on my way to go fishing. This time, his hormonal focus and pride didn’t cost him his life!

    Pride is a dangerous thing. I’m not speaking of the sense of accomplishment from a job well done. I’m talking about self-focused, rebellious pride.

    Pride is at the heart of all sin. It makes us want to be gods, covet, and rebel. Pride keeps many from accepting the good news of Jesus Christ. They’re too proud to think they must humble themselves and surrender to Him.

    It’s pride that makes us think we can get by on self-righteousness. Jesus had some harsh words about self-righteousness and religious pride.

    He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14 ESV

    Sometimes, we might want to say, “That’s not fair, Lord!”  After all, this Pharisee kept all the rules, and the tax collector was a traitor, a corrupt official, and a sinner.

    Yet, the Pharisee was confident of His own righteousness and pride. He proudly stood front row, centre proclaiming to God how good he himself was. That never cuts it with God. He knows our hearts.

    The tax collector was repentant and threw himself on God’s mercy. He stood off from the temple at a distance, too ashamed to even enter into it or to even look in God’s direction. He knew that on his own merit, there was no hope. God loves a penitent sinner.

    Too often, although I know better, I have a lot of the pharisee in me. I think that somehow, my feeble efforts will impress God and forget that I am saved only by His grace. I know I am not alone in that.

    What are you counting on for your salvation? Are you counting on external religion and self-righteousness? If so, you will be disappointed on Judgment Day. Or are you humbly depending on having submitted yourself to Christ? In that case, Jesus has secured your eternity with him.

    Until next time, may you put aside the stumbling block of pride and walk in humility with Father.

    Be blessed

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

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