The Ostrich Paradox
Read: Job 39:13-18 The ostrich flaps her wings futilely—all those beautiful feathers, but useless! (v. 13 MSG) What an enigma! This large, flightless bird, averaging eight feet tall with a long neck and long legs, is not described in complimentary terms in this passage. She neglects her offspring and lacks wisdom and common sense, yet “when […]
A Song without Words
Read: Psalm 139:7-12 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. (vv. 9-10 NIV) One of Emily Dickinson’s popular poems speaks of a little bird as a metaphor for hope. “‘Hope’ […]
Know When to Fly Home
Read: Jeremiah 8:6-22 Even the stork in the heavens knows her times, and the turtledove, swallow, and crane keep the time of their coming, but my people know not the rules of the LORD. (v. 7) Springtime in Michigan is exciting for backyard birders as we anticipate the return of robins, orioles, hummingbirds, and more. Some […]
An Owl’s Full-Circle Vision
Read: Psalm 102:1-18 I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins . . . like bird alone on a roof. (vv. 6-7 NIV) An owl is a haunting image with its piercing eyes, statuesque stillness, and mournful sounds. Its nocturnal nature adds to the mystery. You may find it hard to believe, but while […]
The Birds, Our Helpers
Read: 1 Kings 17:1-6 You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there. (v. 4) The raven is known for its intelligence and as a scavenger that will also hide the food it gleans from a carcass, much like other birds will store seeds for later. Perhaps this behavioral […]
Wings like Eagles
Read: Isaiah 40:25-31 But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles. (v. 31) In his book The Birds Our Teachers, John Stott makes the following observation about eagles: “The picture it presents is not the strenuous flapping of wings, but the spreading of wings to […]
Wishing for Wings
Read: Psalm 55 Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. (v. 6) I’ve often looked with envy at birds, freely soaring above treetops. Wouldn’t it be refreshing to escape life’s noise and distractions and view everything from a distant perspective? In the sky we’d find safety, peace, […]
Come and Get It
Read: Psalm 147:7-11; Luke 12:22-31 All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. (Ps. 104:27-28 NIV) Whenever we refill the birdfeeders with sunflower seeds or the hummingbird feeder […]
Ever Winged Bird
Read: Genesis 1:20-23 And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” (v. 20 NIV) On the fifth day of creation, God designed an amazing variety of birds. So many colors, types, and sizes, from the tiniest hummingbird to the magnificent peacock, […]