The Sparrows…
Have you ever had one of those moments when you're walking through something difficult, and you desperately need an encouraging word? I love how God uses people, worship, Scripture, and even unexpected moments to speak directly to our hearts.
There are days when I'm completely overwhelmed by God's goodness. I look around and see so much to be grateful for. But if I'm being honest, there are also days when I'm thinking about bills that need to be paid, a new job, feeling overwhelmed by life, or carrying a heartache that feels like it may never heal.
Here’s what I’m learning:
Those two things can exist in the same space.
God can be incredibly good, and life can still be incredibly hard.
This song came on at the right moment…
The sparrow's not worried 'bout tomorrow Or the troubles to come
The lily's not thinking 'bout the seasons The drought or the flood
A tree that's planted by the waterIsn't fazed by the fire
So why should I be? Cause You take good care of me
You take good care of me You know what I need before I even ask a thing
And You hold me in Your hands With a kindness that never ends
I'm carried in Your love no matter what the future brings
Yeah, You take good care of me
— “Sparrows” by Cory Asbury
Oh man. I had to stop what I was doing — tears streaming down my face.
(Wink) I hear You, God.
This was for me today. How often do I spend my time worrying about tomorrow?
About the “what ifs.” About the bills, the new job, the prayers I haven’t seen answered yet, and all the things that feel out of my control.
Yet Jesus says in Matthew 6:26: “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
How many times have I heard this verse? Today it hit different. That is the incredible power of God’s Word… it speaks directly to our hearts and meets us right where we are.
The sparrows aren’t ignoring reality. They still have to search for food. The storms still come. Their lives aren’t free from difficulty. But they don’t live consumed by worry because God is faithfully providing for them every single day.
And then Jesus asks a question that changes everything: “Are you not of more value than they?”
If God cares enough to feed a tiny sparrow that most people would never notice, how much more does He care for His children?
That is what I needed to remember today. God already knows what I need before I ever say a word. He sees the things keeping me awake at night. He knows the prayers I’ve prayed over and over. He sees the quiet tears that fall when I have nothing left. “God, I need You. I need Your help.” Nothing has caught Him by surprise.
So today, I’ll choose to be a little more like the sparrows. Not because life is easy. But because my Father is so incredibly faithful.
If You’re Walking Through Something Hard I hope this encourages you the way it encouraged me.
Lift your eyes. Listen to the birds. Let them remind you that the same God who faithfully cares for them is watching over you.
He hasn’t forgotten you. He never will.
April Lemau