From the Pulpit: ‘This is for the birds!’
This time of the year brings the end of the bird migration for the fall. Birds migrate for food, family and fortune. We say ‘this is for the birds’ when we are frustrated, want to give up or things aren’t going our way. But birds are resourceful and tenacious. In the Bible, birds are often used as metaphors for triumph. In Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary they will walk and not be faint.” We want to soar and be successful. Like the birds, we want to migrate towards our fortune for our safety and security. So we view trusting in the Lord as something that will pay out with fortune.
The Bible also says in Psalm 84:1-3, “How lovely is your dwelling place Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young—a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God.” We all want to be in God’s good graces and have a home with the most powerful being in the universe. We all want to claim that we are on the winning team and be a part of the group. No one wants to be alone.
Luke 12:24 says, “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” God provides all we need not only in food but all things. He created the world and gave us our abilities to use those resources for our survival. We are blessed beyond measure.
But God is not a vending machine where we get to choose what we want, when we want it and how it is given to us. He blesses us beyond simply our earthly needs. He provided Jesus, our food. He gave us His body and blood that we celebrate in bread and wine at communion. In that food we receive His forgiveness for our sins. God adopts us into His family and calls us His children in baptism. Again, to receive His forgiveness for our sins by receiving the Holy Spirit who creates faith in our hearts, faith in Jesus. All of this provides for our fortune, eternal life. A life where there will no longer be mourning or pain anymore, the ultimate place of security. We don’t strive for these things, we don’t have to migrate to achieve what we are looking for, God comes to us. He tells us in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Food, family, fortune through faith is not just for the birds.
