His Eye is on the Sparrow

The news today contained a story about a man who was sound asleep on a bus one moment, and then brutally stabbed and decapitated the next. The mind reels. Decapitation? On a bus, in front of people in broad daylight? I cried out to the Lord, "What manner of evil is this?" In the Spirit I heard His Word: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28)

The two verses that follow are Jesus' description of our Father's total, everlasting care and provision over us. He reminds us that not one sparrow falls to the ground apart from His perfect will and watchful eye. Matthew 10:29-31: "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

This revelation came a day after I received a most beautiful and profound meditation from an old friend of mine who lives in Louisiana. Bill and I met when I was pastoring the very small church high up in Pitkin, Colorado; and we spent many an afternoon that summer poring over the Word of God and exploring its deeper meanings. Now, seven years later, Bill wrote me this poignant paragraph, so perfectly in sync with the Scripture Yahweh had just given me, and then he closed it with a question; a question that all of us should be asking ourselves.

"Last night I was unable to sleep. For some reason I began to think of birds and how they
sound different at different times of the day. At dawn their murmerings and chirping seem to
be filled with expectancy. When full daylight comes, and all day after that, they are singing
their hearts out from the sheer joy of life. Then,when dusk approaches, their singing subsides
into what might sound like their dawn sounds, and it is; but instead of being expectant,
there is an air of contentment and peace in the knowledge that tomorrow will come and find
them provided for. I sat, and it struck me. Jesus said He watches over the sparrow. Am I not worth more than the sparrow?

"Then why can't I emulate the birds?"