Keeping Your Eye On The Little Things
Today’s scripture selection: Job 11-12
Key verses: Job 12:7-10
This summer I took up a new hobby.
It won’t make me smarter or increase my vocabulary; it won’t help me get in better shape physically; it won’t supplement my income or increase my stature in the community. It’s just fun. I’ve started watching hummingbirds. Not all hummingbirds – just the ones that nest near my front porch.
They are amazing creatures. At first I was just enamored by their size and the speed at which they fly. But I soon found myself fascinated by their daily habit of dive-bombing each other, in serious combat over the feeder they love. Or I started wondering where their hidden nest was and if it was filled by miniscule eggs. I laughed at how a few of them, especially the one I have rather ungraciously named “red neck,” hover and study my wife and I, as we study them. Most of all, I have just enjoyed seeing how much they enjoy the simple, necessary pleasure of drinking from the sugar water that has been provided. You would think it was pure gold.
Of course, I know I am projecting onto these little birds a lot of attitude that they probably don’t consciously have. I will leave that to the “bird experts” to know for sure. For my wife and I it’s more than enough to make up our stories about who in our little hummingbird kingdom are in charge and who are about to get their tail feathers out of joint. Like I said, a harmless new hobby – that’s about it.
But, I suppose because I’m a preacher/philosopher, I couldn’t help but think of “red neck” and his small friends when I read these words of Job:
“…ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you.”
“Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.”
I couldn’t agree more. They are just small creatures; tiny birds and tiny lives that go completely un-noticed by many. But I believe they somehow know a great truth. They are wondrous creations of God; and their lives are in His hand.
So it is for us. We are a lot bigger in size – but we share this truth with the smallest of creatures around us. Our lives are in God’s hand – simple as that. Give thanks for that miracle.
Prayer: Loving God, thank you for the large and small miracles of life that surround me every day. AMEN.
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