His Eye is on the Sparrow...

Hi friends,

A few weeks ago, we had a sad little incident in our house that prompted some reflection on scripture and the character of God.

We have had some very warm weather over the summer in the UK, and one day I was sitting in our lounge, with the window slightly ajar to let some air in (although it wasn't making much of a difference!). As I sat there, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye and lifted my head to see that a little sparrow had hopped in through the open window onto the inside ledge. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was in danger, as we have four adorable fur-babies, who although they look sweet and harmless, can turn into ruthless hunters at a moment's notice. I got up quickly, hoping to open the window further so it could escape, but alas, my movement startled it and the little bird flapped its wings to take off. In what felt like a split-second, our youngest kitty somehow launched himself down the stairs, into the lounge and through the air, grabbing its prey in its jaws with breathtaking speed and efficiency. I was horrified, and tried to save the bird's life, commanding the cat to release its catch (not surprisingly, the cat ignored my pleas!). When I eventually managed to get the bird from our kitty's mouth, it was lifeless. I picked it up carefully and placed it gently outside, hoping somehow that life would be restored to its tiny body, but sadly it wasn't. As I looked at this little life snuffed out so quickly, I remembered a verse in the Bible that speaks of God's concern and watchful eye even on the sparrows:

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31)

I was reminded that no life goes unnoticed, not even the common sparrow that has an unfortunate encounter with a cat (which of course is just a part of the food chain and something considered very normal and part of life). If God sees even these little creatures falling to the ground, how much more does he see my life, and the things that are troubling me? This old song came to mind as I began to journal this verse in my Bible: 'His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches over me.' There is not one detail of my life that God doesn't see or care about. Just because things happen that are troubling or upsetting or confusing, this doesn't mean God is not watching or present. Our journey of walking with God is to be one of ever increasing trust, where we cling to these truths of scripture knowing that God sees, God knows and that God is in control, whether the outcome we see in front of us is the one we desired, or not.

I used the beautiful Birds & Blooms set on this page, as well as Chunky Lowercase Alpha and Bitty Minnie Alpha to create the text, with a couple of extra images from Nature Silhouettes...

 

I pray that God would remind those of you who need encouragement, that just as his eye is on the sparrow, he is also watching you and he cares about whatever it is you may be facing.

x Amy x