For me, the theme of birds repeats itself, especially when one makes a timely appearance.

God and Birds

God has used various birds on different occasions to bring comfort and encouragement. One sunny morning on my back porch, as bird songs filled the air, I went inside to grab my journal. When I returned, I encountered a large red-shouldered hawk perched on the fence where my lawn sloped into a wooded area. Its size caused me to stand breathlessly still. With a blink of its eye, it turned around, showing off its soft white-spotted plumage. Shortly, it spread its wings and quietly disappeared into the forest. Undeniably, I knew God sent it.

God and Me

I believe God was saying, “I am here, I see you, and I am in control. I am the same God who made Abraham a father of nations and caused Sarah, a post-menopausal woman, to become pregnant and give birth. If I can make the sky blue and the trees green, I can do what you ask. Just believe I AM.”

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”

~Genesis 17:1-2 NIV

God made a timely appearance to Abram. Abram fell before God. God continued to speak to him with a promise to make him not only a father but also a father of many. God affirmed this by changing his name to Abraham, for he would be fruitful. Furter, God promised to give Abraham the land on which he stood. Then, He told Abraham the sign of this covenant. He was to circumcise the males in his household.

The covenant was an intentional sign of God’s loving, faithful care. God’s people were set apart by this sign, and they would be an example to all the nations around them. Eventually, they would bring the gospel of God’s salvation through His Son, Jesus, to all the world. God then changed Abraham’s wife Sarai’s name to Sarah, meaning princess of nations.

When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.

~Genesis 17:22 NIV

Abraham obeyed God and took all of those born in his household or bought and circumcised them. As promised, Sarah delivered a baby the following year at age ninety. Everyone laughed in the face of the odds.

Reflect on what God might be revealing to you in the face of a hardship or relationship.

Lord, help me be attentive to Your Word, prayer, and circumstances that align with Your truth. Thank You for being a timely, reliable, loving, and forgiving God. Give me the grace to obey You in faith as You draw me closer in intimacy with You.

 

Genre: Non-fiction

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