“Yes, the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even Thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.” Psalm 84:3
Dear Ones:
When the Lord gave the sermon on the mount, he used the illustration of “the fowls of the air” to reveal to us how omniscient God is, how helpless we are, and what great worth God has put upon us all. Because of these truths, He calls us to “…behold the fowls of the air.” Why? Because there are lessons for living here, ways by which we honor God, and participate in His blessings and loving care. Let’s look at what He says.
“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither gather into barns; yet YOUR heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much better than they?” (Matthew 6:26) In beholding the birds of the air, we are confronted with several observations. The first is that the birds of the air are absolutely HELPLESS to provide for themselves. They do not sow to have a crops of grain for food, because they do not have the capacity or ability to do so. Thus, they do NOT reap, nor gather into barns in view of future need. Their need is imminent, even immediate, and very real. What is the remedy, the solution to their existence? “Your heavenly Father feeds them.” The God who created them provides for them, and this in ways that we cannot fully grasp. Why does God provide for them? Because the whole of creation is under His loving care, and He DELIGHTS to provide for them, indeed, for all of His creation.
With the context being “anxious about our lives, and about the necessities of life (food, water, clothing), the Lord Jesus addresses us with not only the admonition to NOT be anxious, but to understand why He declares it….”Are you not much better than they (the birds)?” It all comes down to the love that He has for us, the worth that He has put on every life, and His desire, delight, and determination, to provide for us, even with regard to the basic needs that we have.
In Psalm 84, we are again called upon to consider the sparrow, and the swallow. What is common to both types of birds is that they are LED by God to seek and find a house, and nest, where they may lay their young. If God can so wonderfully, and seemingly, effortlessly, direct the “fowls of the air” to find a place for their nests, and build them, can He not lead us to His footstool where we can worship the true and living God? “…Even Thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.” The prayer of the Psalmist is: “O send out Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me.” (Ps. 43:3) “THEN I will go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy.” (v.4) The same heavenly Father who provides for the sparrow and swallow with respect to their food, is the one who provides for their lodging…where they may raise their young. Will not our God, our Heavenly Father, lead us by His light and truth in worship of Himself? The price, value, that He has set on every soul attests to us that He will do so.
Dear Father, lead us by Thy light and truth, into a greater experience of worship of Thee, and the Lord Jesus. Fill us with Thy blessed Spirit, and bring us increasingly into this life of praise and adoration of Thee. We thank Thee In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad