A Little Bird Told Me

Ever since I was a very small child, I loved watching birds.  I would wake up with them!  I remember sitting at the front picture window very, very early in the morning watching the robins as they hopped around the blades of grass glistening with dew.   The robins would tilt their heads to listen for worms and suddenly snatch one up!  This little girl's fascination didn't stop there...  On warm summer evenings, after a fresh bath, I would put on crisp pajamas and crawl into bed for an early bedtime of 7:30 p.m.  As the sun would set, I loved falling asleep to the sound of the Robin's beautiful night song which would fill the air with such comforting sounds.

I still love listening to the different bird songs that fill my backyard.

There is a particular bird that sings in the springtime and autumn that always makes me laugh when I hear it because it sounds like an old man whistling.

I find the mockingbird so fascinating as it imitates different noises.  One summer, the mockingbird was imitating a car alarm!

In the middle of the night, warm summer breezes blow through open windows, carrying with it the sound of a lone bird calling in the distance, and such peace washes over me.

As the sun begins to rise and with its setting, the bird's song seems to be the most exuberant and cheerful.

What should we learn from the birds

I sat and pondered this... whether I face each new day with singing and rejoicing or do I complain and dread the day.  Or... as I lay my head to sleep, do I rejoice in the day that the Lord had given me, praising Him for His many blessings or am I weary from burdens, grumbling as I fall asleep...

I confess that too often, when I become fully awake and aware, all my troubles seem to come flying back into my head after being tucked away while I slept.  And at bedtime, I can find myself presupposing what the next day will be like, borrowing trouble.

The attitude of my heart should instead sing aloud of His steadfast love in the morning.  Psalm 59:16 

My heart should never be lacking in praise to my God and Father.  No matter what my circumstances are, there are always reasons to praise Him; most especially for His unfailing love for me!  Starting my morning with praise on my lips to the Lord will set the tone for the rest of the day.

My mornings should begin with prayer and time in the Word.  Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust.  Make me to know the way I should go for to you I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8

Every verse in God's word speaks of His steadfast love for me.  To begin my day remembering I am wholly loved by Almighty God, brings confidence to the day, a day I don't have to face alone, but with God, my ever-present Help.  Through prayer and the Word, I can seek God's will for my day, and He will direct my steps in the way I should go.

In the morning, I must commit my day to the Lord to be a pleasing sacrifice as I seek to obey and walk with Him.  In the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.  Psalm 5:3 

Whenever I have committed my day to the Lord, including Him in my thoughts and decisions, I am always amazed how much better the day goes.  I am more tranquil and content. The sacrifice of committing my day to the Lord is truly something that I can watch unfold throughout the day as I see His blessings surround me.

When I've started out my day in praise, prayer and Scripture reading, the blessings of the day will naturally outflow into evening.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord make me to dwell in safety.  

Psalm 4:8

We can also learn from the bird's behavior in the rain as the trees and bushes seem to come alive on a rainy day with the birds proclaiming loudly their individual songs.  Their cheerful songs brightening the mood of an otherwise gloomy day.

Spiritually Applying Lessons Learned from the Birds

I thought about this one day as I listened to the rain drops bouncing off the deck outside; the birds singing as if it were a beautiful sunny day.   Do I sing loudly and cheerfully when adversity is pouring down or do my complaints rise above the pitch of everything else.  The answer more often than not is that I complain.

Non-Christians are always watching those of us they know are Christ-followers.  They watch how we handle everything!  Especially when trials or difficult people come our way.

This morning I was reading Philippians 1:12 when Paul said, "I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel."  Paul was talking about his imprisonment.   It started me thinking about our own imprisonments.  We aren't behind actual bars, but there are many things in life that can feel like imprisonment or bondage such as anxiety, addiction, affliction, depression.  All of these circumstances can make us feel very alone.  But through Christ, we can overcome despite these trials, and it is through this testimony of a peace that surpasses all understanding, that we too advance the Gospel...

In the last ten years, I have been struck with two very humbling afflictions...

The first one occurred after several falls onto my tailbone which rendered me at the outset unable to sit in a normal chair without the aid of a special cushion with a whole cut out where the tailbone would sit.  It was very humbling, especially at church, to be a fairly young woman who needed to carry a special pillow around just to be able to sit through the service.  There were many times that I would have to get up and stand at the back of the church.  By nature, I don't like to draw attention to myself or have all eyes on me.  My pride was being sorely tested, and there were definitely times of woe is me and much complaining...   But God in His wonderful mercy helped me to accept this affliction, giving me a sense of humor about it.  God has a sense of humor too!  I ended up having to move on to a special chair that I found at Target which was perfect and mobile, but the only color they had was red!!  And so there I would come, my RED chair in tow, and set up camp at the back of the church.

By the strength of the Lord, He blessed me with a humble attitude and an acceptance of the situation; a true testimony of God's faithfulness in adversity.

The second affliction occurred about three years ago when I suddenly developed a blocked tear duct.  At this point in life, the only course of action to correct a blocked tear duct is surgery.  But unfortunately, there are lasting side effects from the surgery that are worse than what I am currently dealing with.  So, for now, I have chosen to forgo surgery.  When I first realized what this diagnosis meant, I was to the point of despairing.  Despairing from the aggravation of dealing with it for the rest of my life and from embarrassment being around people who didn't know why my eye was tearing all the time.

God has pruned me through this affliction, gently humbling me, and teaching me acceptance and grace along the way.

In both instances, I hope that those who are watching me, in my affliction, will discern a singing  spirit within me so that God would be glorified and that those who don't have a personal relationship with Christ would desire the same peace that only He can give through accepting His free gift of salvation.

Birds have brought me joy throughout my life, and it pleased the Lord to use those same sweet creatures to teach me lessons for singing His praises and to walk in obedience with Him.

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,

Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav'n and home,

When Jesus is my portion?  My constant friend is He:

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free,

For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me

"Let not your heart be troubled."  His tender word I hear, 

and resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;

Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free,

For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me

His Eye Is on the Sparrow, Civilla D. Martin

The next time you hear the birds sweetly singing, think about all the spiritual lessons their singing teaches and rejoice that the Lord speaks to our hearts through these sweet creatures.

For similar posts, click on the following:

Who Taught the Birds to Sing?

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