Friday, May 15, 2020


Woodland Song

Joyfully, joyfully, feathered friends call,
the chickadees and grosbeaks and orioles all,
to sing a lyric melody at opening of day,
to start the winging choir, a-chirping all the way!

Over high, over there, beside the babbling brook,
the cardinals and veeries resound in every nook;
the drumming of the ruffed grouse, the cooing of the dove,
the tapping of the woodpecker that echoes up above!

Yahweh God! Yahweh God!”, into the evening night,
hummingbirds and nuthatches turn in from their flight.
And in the final light of day, the robin sings her song.
What joy to hear the woodland birds sing praises all day long!

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
Luke 1:46-47                                                       


Woodland Song

The woods are slowly waking, here in Veery Glade. Snow has fallen late this year, slowing the leaves trying to form on the trees. But eventually, the once bare trees of winter will get their bright spring-green clothes. The veery thrushes have returned to Veery Glade! I've heard them! And I saw a blue indigo bunting and female grosbeaks! I am sure that with warmth and cover of leaves more birds will return.

Creation is not random or haphazard. Neither is our Creator God. Look at Ezekiel 40 to the end of the book where the prophet watches a man whose appearance was like bronze measure the temple area and boundaries of land. The point made is that God knows exact specifications. Wouldn’t a Creator be very familiar with His creation? Wouldn’t He measure each bird wing, arrange markings and colors of feathers and instill in them their flight?

The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.
Proverbs 12:26

The book of Proverbs is filled with examples of righteousness versus wickedness. In chapter 12, some versions state: The righteous choose their friends carefully but the way of the wicked leads them astray. Others say: A righteous person is cautious in friendship. Creation reminds us that birds of a feather flock together. God reads our heart and places we fly to, whether those places lead to righteousness or wickedness.

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Matthew 7:6

The five wise girls in the parable of the ten virgins who were prepared with oil didn’t give any of their oil to the five foolish girls who were not prepared and the foolish ones were kept out. It’s not too cool to go with those who will be kept out. It’s more honorable to try to be as obedient as possible. It’s best to repent and ask God to create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within.

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Matthew 10:14-15

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, told the disciples how they should respond to rejection of them and the Gospel they preached. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you in your friendships. Be careful not to befriend someone like Korah (Numbers 16). Korah made a stand against Moses (which is really a stand against God) and ended up taking his followers into the ground with him.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:14-16
  
Pray for discernment to choose friends wisely. We can recognize people by their words and actions like a good tree that produces good fruit. A seed sown by the farmer will benefit him when it produces a crop. Nobody wants to take the time of sowing a seed to get nothing from it.

When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
Psalm 27:10

Our loving Father takes us up as His friend and promises to never leave us nor forsake us. There is comfort in realizing God keeps His great and precious promises. Greater is He that is within us than he that is in the world.

Henceforth, I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things I have heard of my Father I have made known to you.
John 15:15

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus.
Romans 15:5

Keep praying for strength of heart to persevere because of the friendship of Jesus. A great truth is that Jesus can handle a lot of brokenness. So, with the birds, voice praises and concerns to Him who has the best consolation (the alleviation of suffering, grief and disappointment) and the best patience.

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