Sunday, June 15, 2014

Lessons from the birds

My prayer life has been suffering. 

The truth is, I have my priorities all out of order.  I make sure to get my son to his activities and appointments, keep the fridge stocked, the car running and the house operational (mostly).  I try to read a morning devotional, but then the phone rings or the dog gets into something or......and then the day is over.

It took one little grey bird to point out my error.

I recently put a bird feeder outside my office window.   Originally, I set it up so that I had to sit at my desk in order to enjoy the activity. Maybe I would be more successful tackling all of my paperwork.  My project board listed goals and steps to accomplish.  My calendar included dates.  The CD player had my favorite station set.  I had even placed my devotional book and bible within elbow's reach. 

This morning, the family of birds returned to perch and eat.  That's when I noticed her.  A rather small grey and white bird periodically stopped eating and cocked her head several times, as if to listen.  It's a common behavior, but today, it had a special meaning. After she flew.  I wondered.

Was her turn of the head an instinct or a habit?  Did she hear anything before leaving?  Am I like her?  Do I even listen for God's guidance in Scripture or worship?  Or, have I made myself too busy?

I picked up my devotional journal, Jesus Calling, written by Sarah Young.  Here's what it said for today: "When you approach me in stillness in trust, you are strengthened.  You need a buffer zone of silence around you in order to focus on things that are unseen."

I need to be more like that bird:  feeding on His word and waiting for His guidance every day.   



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