“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 (NIV)
As Hurricane Sally began to make landfall, a pair of hummingbirds battled the strong winds in order to eat at the feeder outside my bedroom window. Despite the monster storm slowly rolling onshore, these tiny creatures demonstrated no worry. I, on the other hand, was not so calm.
There was a seventy-five-foot pine tree just outside my bedroom window and the fierce winds were pushing so hard that several neighbors called to warn us of danger. Hours of rain and gales topping 100 miles per hour were predicted to batter our area and nightfall was coming.
I really didn’t want to be “that story” on the news—the person who dies in their sleep when a tree comes crashing down in a storm. As the winds screamed around the corner of the house, I prayed. And I thought of those hummingbirds and Jesus’ words as He was preparing His disciples to take the good news of the kingdom into a world filled with dangers.
“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.” Jesus pointed to His Father’s watchful care over a creature without value in the culture of His day to amplify how much He cares for you and me.
I asked God to send His angels to hold up the tree and bring us safely through the night. As I drifted off to sleep, I could hear the Holy Spirit whispering, “remember the hummingbird.”
When day dawned, I was thankful for our safe passage through the night. The storm still was raging, but hours later, when Sally had finally passed, the tree had not toppled over. The bird feeder had been blown down, but as I put it back up full of fresh nectar, the hummingbirds reappeared and buzzed around my head in gratitude.
So, when storms come into your life, in whatever form, think of the hummingbird. Even more than sparrows, you are of great value to your Heavenly Father. He knows how many hairs are on your head. He will take care of all your needs. Ask Him. Trust Him. Rest in Him. He cares for you.
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