There are so many things different with my day to day since Covid, but one nice thing is that I look out my windows more often. I see the beautiful creation coming to bloom all around me, and thankfully it is from behind a window because I have allergies. And, when all the beautiful items bloom, their sneezy pollen scatters!
I had mentioned before that my family started entertaining squirrels (which are now ours since we named them!) and feeding the birds that have taken residence in my daughter’s dollar tree decorated birdhouse. I enjoy looking at them so much, that yesterday the kids and I were engaged in such a heated discussion of which squirrel was who, that I burned our grilled cheese sandwiches. Not just burned, but almost had them catch fire they were so well charred. As I tried desperately to air out my home, and not set off the smoke detector, I was struck with some urgency of the situation.
Sometimes we get distracted. Sometimes we forget the priority of what’s on the burner. Sometimes we are busy naming what is around us instead of focusing on what we are supposed to be doing. Calling out what we see in the happenstance and not diving in to the doing of our circumstance.
I re-made the grilled cheese. Then the squirrels began to get up the feeder and indulge in the birdseed. This made me mad. Well, both things made me mad, but forget my cooking mishaps for a moment and focus on the annoyance of my fat and happy squirrels robbing my birds of their rightfully deemed seeds.
I gave them daily nuts. My husband had rigged stand-up corn stalk feeder on the corners of our porch. Why on earth wasn’t it enough? And it struck me – what did God feel like when the Israelites complained? He had just performed 10 mighty miracle works to set them on a course for a land of their own. He gave them favor with their oppressors, and they left with much of the Egyptian treasures. Yet even though He protected through both cloud and fire, His provision received a nose-turn.
My squirrels felt I was holding out on them. The good stuff just wasn’t being delivered (darn birdseed robbers!). Is that the attitude we take with God? The manna is getting us by… but just getting us by? For the glory or our Lord, we should be happily grateful for any and all provision, regardless of the comfort level. He made us, saved us…He does not owe us. Yet, he is good and gracious.
The point isn’t necessarily to take stock of where you are now, but where were you rescued from? And where does he promise to take you? The journey is just that, a time of travel. Maybe it’s comfortable, maybe not. But it is only for a time. And just think of where he has promised to take you! Don’t get distracted by some good-looking birdseed.
Prayers and Petition 