Woodland Song

Joyfully, joyfully, feathered friends call,

the chickadees, grosbeaks and orioles all,

to sing a merry melody at opening of day,

the lyric winging choir, a-chirping all the way!

Over high, and below, along the babbling brook,

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

Here in the waking woods, the leaves are growing on the trees. The once bare trees of winter are getting their spring clothes. Visibility through the trees decreases and, with the cover of leaves, many woodland birds fly in. The veery thrushes, nuthatches, juncos, grosbeaks and robins settle in with the hardy chickadees, downies, hairies, northern flickers and blue jays who never left. 

I don’t think our Creator God is random, and certainly not haphazard. Instead, He is exact and measures things. 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 is made that God knows exact specifications. Wouldn’t a Creator be very familiar with His creation?

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 wise examples of righteousness versus wickedness. One such is this verse 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 many birds of a feather flock together. God reads our heart and measures the choices we make, whether they 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

This verse speaks to me of discernment. We don’t have to give someone something precious to us that he will only throw on the ground because it’s not precious to him. The five wise girls in the parable of the ten virgins who were prepared with oil didn’t give their oil to the five foolish girls who were not prepared. And the foolish ones were kept out.

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. We can be selective in our friendships.

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 your 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, not even God.

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

Some people have parents who have abandoned them for whatever reason including making a stand for their faith. What a terrible thing to not be loved by your parents. But we know that our loving Father takes us up as His friend and promises to never leave us nor forsake us. There is hope in realizing God keeps His promises.

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

These are the days to listen to the birds in the woods. With them, I voice my praises and concerns to an awesome God who is patient with me. I can keep praying for strength of heart to persevere because of His friendship, which is best of all, other friendships and peace.