In the late spring of 2007 God sent a mama bird to nest in one of my hanging planter baskets. I was able to gently take the basket off the hook and observe the nest. This was for me, a direct answer to a prayer. Let me explain why.
Earlier in the spring a person from an online message board community of which I was then an active member, posted of a similar experience. (You can read "Kingdom Minded's" original post here.) I remember reading his story with interest. I thought and prayed, “God, that would be so cool! I wish something like that would happen to me.” Imagine my surprise when it did - and only a short time later!
The children and I watched the light brown, speckled eggs, checking on them nearly every day. There were four of them. We observed them as they hatched and grew, the mama bird busily bringing her hatchings food. I suspect that they were house swallows, but I can’t be sure. Then one day she taught the four baby birds to fly in our backyard. In one afternoon, they went from shed to swing-set, patio table to porch rail, and back over their practice circuit again - and then they were all gone. It was a delightful and encouraging experience for our family.
At that time I was really, really busy and concerned about some things regarding our living arrangements. The Lord brought to my mind those Bible verses on birds and His Providential Care. We are not wealthy by the world’s standards, we don’t most of the latest and most popular things (and when we do they are gifts from relatives), but I felt so rich, that this little bird family had taken shelter under our porch roof, and the simple yet profound truths they taught me. This really, really blessed me, it literally stopped me in my busy tracks and reminded of all the little things that were important. It also made me feel very loved and cared for by my Heavenly Father. To have a prayer like that answered so specifically and quickly was a miracle for me. Now, I have witnessed God working miracles and healings, I know He does. But for Him to answer a “little prayer” I mumbled hastily and breathlessly about something that was not a big deal, or essential, well, it really reminded me of how a Daddy loves His child.
5 comments:
That was a wonderful story, and one you should have told. God does care for us, and is concerned about our concerns.
Beautiful! I'm so glad you shared this story. I can relate to how God uses birds to minister to us. For me, it has always been cardinals that seem to carry God's grace on their wings...
One dreary day when the weather matched my emotional landscape, I kept up my prayers to God for deliverance- or at least a rest- from family struggles, depression and tears. As I fixed a cup of tea and glanced out the kitchen window, not one, but 5 male cardinals were sitting in close proximity on the branches of our spruce tree. I stared in wonder at such a sight! There were just resting there, all looking toward the house. It was a moment of epiphany for me, just like you described how you were warmed by God's answer to your prayer.
He does care for us; how wonderful to receive those special graces just when we need to rest on that assurance.
Thank you for telling your bird story, Amy. And thank you both for your comments.
i never realized my simple bird story could say so much, never realized birds could minister so much, but i guess that goes to show you the life hidden in the words of God.
i still remember it though. since then, ive made some major personal and individual decisions in my life and that story and its lesson have really helped me through a lot of it.
i wish i could have seen then do their practice circuit like you mentioned. that had to be neat. mine just left and i never saw them again.
take care!
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