As dusk settled over the woods, the urgent call of a cardinal broke the silence. A male redbird fluttered at the kitchen window where I was drying the dishes. My husband and I went outside to see what was disturbing him.
He flew just ahead of us, continuing his agitated cry. He landed near a female on a nest. It took a moment for our eyes to adjust to the twilight. As we scanned the trees, we found the source of the bird’s emergency. Almost invisible in the tree above the nest sat a huge owl.
We watched for a while; then the owl blinked his yellow eyes, opened his wings, and glided silently away. We turned to go back in the house, amazed that the cardinal had led us to his home.
The redbird followed us to the house, where we stopped by the door. He sat in the brambles near us and sang to us again. This time the melody was lovely. Jon said, “It’s as if he was saying thank you.” When the bird finished his solo, we watched him rejoin his family in the nest.
I returned to the dishes certain that somehow the cardinal knew we would help him. I marveled at the wonderful and mysterious ways of God.
Like the cardinal, we sometimes need help that is greater than ourselves. When we utter a desperate, often silent prayer, God is quick to respond.
Although it’s hard to comprehend His abilities, He can handle the whole universe and not be too busy for you and I. Instead, He attends to the cry of our hearts.
Bird Feeder:
“I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” (Psalm 57:1)
Birdbath:
“We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.” (Psalm 33:20-21)
Birdhouse:
“Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.” (Psalm 63:7)
For the Birds:
If you own a cat that frequently stalks your feeders, you may want to consider putting a bell on the cat’s collar. If the stalker is a neighbor’s cat, you could mention you enjoy their pet’s visits, and that you’ d appreciate it if they’d place a collar with a bell on their cat for your birds’ sake. The bonus is you and your neighbor will know where your feline friend is too.
Until Next Time,
Joy
Tweet ThisIf you’d like to purchase Under His Wings, click on the book cover below.
I have to say that the bird is something that you can’t help but feel amazed by. Looking up and they fly seamlessly through the sky, hunting, playing and more. God purposed this when he created them, and used them as such a source of awe in his creation!
I agree, Farin!
I very much enjoyed your post, Joy. I love to listen to the birds outside my window when I have my daily devotions. I wonder if some of them have been singing thank you songs for the birdseed we put out in the winter. It’s obvious I need to pay more attention! 🙂
Birds are so wonderful to watch. We used to have bird feeders right near our back porch and we’d just leave the blinds open to watch them eat. We would get all kinds of birds. Blue Jay’s were the treat of them all, and woodpeckers. 🙂 A beautiful post! Thank you for sharing these wonderful verse.
Thank you, Victoria! So glad you stopped by.