“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.”
Matthew 6:26-29
I love birds. They are great. It is remarkable how they glide through the air and light on a bug mid-flight. They all have distinct calls, and the variety of songs never ceases to amaze me. We hear them lift their unique whistles in the morning and watch their diligence throughout the day.
I love flowers too. Of course, it’s their smells and the beautiful blossoms, but it’s also the beneficial bugs and birds they attract. Each spring, various flowers push their way through the soil displaying their beauty that sometimes graces different tables and rooms throughout our home.
What can plump birds and pretty flowers teach us about rest?
Recently, I shared a meal with a kind and intelligent pastor friend. Regarding Sabbath rest, he said, “Pretty flowers and fat birds stand in defiance to all that is against God.”
His point was that each echoing warble and extending petal demonstrates the order and life God creates in our disintegrated and chaotic world. He shared that birds and flowers enjoy the form and the fullness God established.
Form & Fullness
At one time, the heavens and the earth were without form (chaos) and void (lifeless). When God created, he brought both form (order) and fullness (life).
And so, Jesus declares, “Look at the birds…look at the flowers.” His point was to consider the form (order) and the life (fullness) God creates and sustains in them. Christ wanted His followers then and now to understand a straightforward principle:
- If God created and sustains form (order) and fullness (life) everywhere and in everything, then the only response is to rest in the form and fullness He has created and sustains in my life.
Challenge for the week:
- Find a piece of paper or journal and write down two things (relationships, environments, elements, etc.) that are chaotic in your life, and answer the following questions for both things:
- What are the factors that produce chaos?
- What could you do to help bring order to the chaos?
My example:
- Chaotic thing number 1: Puppy
- Our puppy jumps on people when they come home or when she wakes up in the morning, often scratching them with her paws.
- Trim the puppy’s paws and teach her not to jump by gently correcting her when she does and encouraging my family to follow suit.
- Chaotic environment number 2: The paperwork and supplies on my desk at the office.
- I have loose paperwork and supplies that need to be filed and put in their place.
- Digitize the files and throw away, give away, or keep the pens and items I know I will use in my pen holder or supply shelf.