VICAR
Dear Readers of Country Squire Magazine, I trust that You are well and, if You have children of school age, that You enjoy with them the last weekend before school starts.
This week I would like You to think about the wildlife that surrounds Us and to pray for it. Particularly, let Us focus on the birds. September for us is the real start of Autumn, of course migration is already under way but it is September when huge numbers of birds are on the move, mostly heading south from breeding grounds to wintering grounds, a mass movement of millions of birds. Also think of those birds who have been meddled with, perhaps fitted too tight with heavy transmitters when their muscle growth had a half or quarter to go. Also those birds slain by wind turbines or injured by them who somehow struggle on.
Matthew 6: 25-30 uses the example of the birds to show to Us that God will provide. We should fear not for our next meal. Here is the passage that should encourage You if You are suffering from the cost of living crisis or cannot see in which direction You should be heading:
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin.
29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these.
30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
The rich imagery of birds is prevalent throughout the Bible: though birds are often deemed small and insignificant, Scripture tells us that they are still cared for by God as part of His creation. We also see powerful birds like eagles as pictures of strength, and owls representing desolation (Isaiah 34:11).
“Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?”, mentions Job 39:26 about the fierce and now unclean goshawks which should be feared and never underestimated:
Hawks were peaceable birds until Adam and Eve brought sin into the world. Sin resulted in upsetting all living things, as this short account (via the link) of goshawks has brought to our attention. So hawks are mentioned in the Bible as “unclean” birds, which meant they were not to be eaten by the people of Israel. Also, when God spoke to Job about some of the wonders of creation, He asked Job the question in the Bible verse at the opening of this article. He wanted Job to think about these wonders and remember God’s wisdom and power. And we should remember them too.
“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.”
1 Peter 3:18
Have a peaceful and pleasant first Sunday of September. God Bless You All. And please remember to pray for the birds, even those touched by sin who should not be meddled with or eaten by us. Pray for all living creatures and learn from their ways.
God, You know my imperfections.
I ignore the baby chick within.
All that is fresh and new, and desires growth,
Sometimes I ignore it or fight it.
I am sometimes too fragile to allow the new within to survive.
Create within me the ability to greet each day like Your birds.
And to care for animals as You would, God,
You who would gather us all within
Your outstretched wings.
Amen