Birds, Lilies, & Corona

Birds.  Have you noticed them of late?  Have you stopped long enough over the last few days to notice what they are doing?

A few of us were hanging about our deck on Friday when the LORD caught my attention with some birds flying around.  Called an ‘audible’ and our family devo was on a different topic last night.  This morning our friend in Honduras, Maria Foster, was talking on Marco Polo about watching a bird working on a nest.  And, I’m confident that wherever you are…the United States, Ukraine, Thailand, Senegal, etc…that birds are doing what they always do.  Gobblers are still chasing hens in the woods of South Georgia and friends and family are luring them into gun range with soft yelps of a hen-call.  

Birds are doing what they always do.  The grass and flowers are doing the same.  God pointed our family and Maria to that wonderful passage in Matthew 6, verses 25-34 exactly.  Jesus, in the midst of the Sermon on the Mount, takes time to talk to our hearts about anxiety and worry.  In the previous section, Jesus is talking about money and possessions finishing with this statement, “You cannot serve God and wealth (v24).”  And the very next sentence is “For this reason, I say to you, do not be worried about your life, …”  and He jumps into to tell us not to worry about what we will eat or drink or our clothes.  

From there He asks us to ‘Look’ and ‘Consider’ the birds and lilies.  He wants us to look intently at, as well as, observe and learn from the birds and lilies.  They are doing what God created them to do.  They are not worried about the ‘things’ of this life.  They are glorifying God by doing what they do and not worrying.  In verse 27, Jesus asks how you can add any days to your life by worrying.  Without even considering the scriptures stating that God ordains our days…from a logical standpoint, does it make any sense to worry??  Worry/Anxiety is a detriment…it takes away from your life.  So, consider what Jesus rhetorically asks, can you add any time to your life by worrying??

So, I ask you…Have you looked intently at the birds??  Have you considered (observed and learned from) the lilies??  With the Corona virus running amok and the people of this world living in fear and worry, have you considered the birds and lilies??  Instead of living in fear and worry like everyone else, immerse yourself in God’s Word and let Jesus teach you His ways.  He wants us to know and live as if God is our first priority.  Verse 33 sums it all up, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  God knows you need all the things you worry about BUT before all that, He wants you to set your mind on Him and His Kingdom.  

That is the ticket to being worry free…seek His Kingdom first.

Our prayer for you all is the same for us here in Guatemala.  Seek God’s Kingdom first.  Abide in Him.  Don’t live in fear and anxiety like those who have no hope.  Live in the calm assurance that the LORD of the Universe knows what you need and will supply your needs, whether that is temporal needs or the ability to suffer well…He will supply your needs.  Fear God & respect the authorities set in place (Romans 13; I Peter 2) YET remember…He is Sovereign and knows all that is going on.  Rest in those Truths!!