After a late night, I awoke Sunday morning to the loud song of my tiny, feathered neighbor. A little sparrow makes his home in a hole in the brick wall just outside my bedroom window. My eyes weren’t closed quite long enough nor my dreams brought to completion before the bird decided to start his day in exuberance. I admit that I certainly did not share in his morning excitement, but was rather annoyed. I tried, quite hopelessly, to go back to sleep with my frustration and impatience increasing with every toss and turn. The sparrow’s joyful song continued.
I then remembered the prayer of a friend at small group the night before, “Let our response to you in any situation be worship and thanks.” Then came to mind the encouragement of another friend last week to “give God the first fruits of thanks—always—even in loss and grief.” My mind flooded with the challenges of many others (both read and heard in the last few months) to express gratefulness daily, moment by moment (see links below). And, the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart, “Rejoice always….give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you…..Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice,” (1 Thes 5.16, 18; Php 4.4). So, though still not ready to get out of bed, I made the conscious choice to turn my annoyance into praise and thanks. I thanked God for my little feathered neighbor that never forgets to begin his day with worship. I praised the Father for His provision—that this little bird wants for nothing (Matt 6.26) and daily proclaims to the neighborhood his Creator’s goodness and love. I smiled at God’s relentless pursuit of my heart, the way He continuously draws my thoughts and attitude back to Himself. And, how humorous He is—challenging me to gratefulness with the simple song of a bird!
“The whole of creation is an amphitheater, the voices of the created and the Creator ringing off everything that is.” ~ Ann Voskamp, A Holy Experience, August 2, 2011
May I continue to have ears to hear Him speaking. And, may I continue to choose gratefulness and praise in all things.
Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen. (Rev 7.12)
I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love. (Ps 59.16-17)
…giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ… (Eph 5.20)
But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness….I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. (Ps 69.13, 30) I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more….My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. (Ps 71.14, 23)
No comments:
Post a Comment