House Finches

It's that time of year when a few house finches build their nests under the awning of our back porch. Every year we have at least two couples building a home out there. They do not have to worry about foreclosure. They do not have to worry about water bills or electric bills. They do not have to worry about doctors or medications. They build their nests, hatch their young and leave until next year. In the moments before yesterday's dawn, I could hear them chirping and it brought to mind the time Jesus said for us to look at the birds, they neither sow nor reap but our heavenly Father feeds them, are you not more important than they? The chirping of those birds reminded me not to worry as Jesus said. Worry adds nothing to us but anxiety and later Paul would write be anxious for nothing, but in all things through prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God and the peace that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Worry prevents peace. Worry distorts our hearts and minds. But Paul said for us to make our requests "known" to God. Doesn't God already know my requests? Doesn't He already know my needs? Obviously, if He is an all-knowing God, He does. So, why do I have to make them known? Apparently, when struggles come along, making our requests "known" to God is for our benefit, not His. When we make requests known through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, it helps us have the proper perspective on our needs and our worry. It helps us be honest about ourselves and desires. When I remember to be thankful for what I do have, it helps me not get so wrapped up in what I don't have. Nothing here tells me that God will simply remove my struggles or that I can simply put everything on "cruise control." The birds still have to build their nests and get the food God provided. I think the key to what Paul wrote often gets overlooked. People often quote this text beginning with verse six, "Be anxious for nothing..." But the second half of verse five has the short sentence, "The Lord is near." The chapter and verse numbering was developed centuries after this letter was written, but I believe if Paul could have had a say in how the text was numbered, I think he would have put "The Lord is near," in with verse six. "The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing..." God is a transcendent, all-powerful, all-knowing Being who decided to be immanent among His creatures. 

As Easter approaches, we can be reminded how immanent the God of the universe decided to be. He put on flesh, dwelt among us, lived a sin-free life, died and rose again. His death was for us, for our sins, so that while we were enemies of God in this fallen world, He came and died so that we might have life, so that we might have more than this fallen world has to offer. He is in it with us and for us. We only have to trust Him. We must build our nests, our lives, within His shelter. I'm glad I hear the chirping before dawn. It reminds me to be thankful and allow God's peace to guard and shelter my heart and mind for the day. It reminds me where my life needs to be built.