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 of us set out oranges, mealworms, and make nectar for our feathered friends. What a journey they take following the instincts their Creator instilled in them. How is it that after flying hundreds of miles, they make their way to our backyards? John Stott in The Birds Our Teachers describes the migration of the arctic tern, weighing about four ounces, which flies 22,000 miles round trip from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Other birds’ migration patterns are equally astounding.
Sensitive to the seasons and keen to follow nature’s signs, birds fly the journey prescribed for them. In today’s passage, the anguished prophet Jeremiah questions why humans, also God’s creatures, do not follow the Lord’s requirements (v. 7). God’s people held fast to deceit and evil, refused to return to God, and turned to their own way. Even birds know what time it is, but God’s people lacked what he required (see Micah 6:8). When we go astray, we too must repent, turn back to God and follow his leading. God has outlined his perfect plan for us in his Word. May our instinct always be to turn to our Creator for his direction so we may find our home in his presence. —Denise Vredevoogd
As you pray, acknowledge if you’ve strayed from God’s path, then repent and turn toward him.
About the Author
Denise Vredevoogd is a private piano teacher who lives near Grand Rapids, Michigan. She enjoys reading, writing, gardening, and spending time in nature with her adult sons and daughters.
