I mentioned in the post “God Confirms His Word” Another prayer I pray sometimes is, “Lord please be persistent with me because I know I’m dull of hearing and sometimes You need to draw me a picture so that I don’t miss what you are trying to show me.”
I’ve said before how usually it’s only after the fact that I realize God was directing my thoughts towards a certain direction to get me to speak, write or do something He would desire me to do. The times I knew instantly and for certain, God was directing me in a certain way to go or not to go were in an urgent “need to know” situation.
The following is what I began to realize last night when I remembered a song that I found on Youtube about a year ago and I included in some of the text messages I sent to friends and family. The song is “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” and last night I added it to my last post because it speaks of Faith in God and the Hope that comes from Him.
About 2 or 3 months before I got laid off work on July 2nd this year, I picked up 2 big hazardous area metal halide flood light fixtures that had been trashed because everything now if switching over to LED shoebox type fixtures that are just as bright and use far less energy. One of the fixtures was 16”x18”x9” and the other was 22”x21”x10”. Someone asked, “what you gonna do with that?” Without much thought I said, “try and make a birdhouse.”
Today I have to question, where did that thought come from because in all my life, I have Never built a bird house or had a desire to build a birdhouse. It seemed like one of those “out of left field” thoughts. Since about April, the two fixtures sat on the cement slab by my shed until a couple weeks ago. Occasionally someone would ask, “what you gonna with that?,” I’d say “Someday I’ll try to make a birdhouse out of them.”
So a couple weeks ago I did some research on how to make a birdhouse. I didn’t know the size of the interior space, height and size of the entrance hole was so critical for the kind of birds that will nest or choose not to nest in a birdhouse. As I was reading about this I saw many references to “House Sparrows” being imported to the USA and being a nuisance and Not Welcomed by many people into the “Native American” bird care culture. A bunch of things are described how to discourage House Sparrows from encroaching on our native American birds territory and birdhouses. So my bird house design was going to be made to accommodate House Sparrows.
I started taking the old light fixtures apart to get a better look at the housing shell and figure out what I could do with them. I sanded, cut, and grinded away metal in the light fixtures to get to usable material to work with. The aluminum parts except for a 2 foot piece of 2”x2” square tubing to make a ridge vent for the roof are from the light fixtures.
There were some days when I decided to work on it even with a heat index of 110 degrees, soaked in sweat but I found peace and pleasure in making something with my hands. I’d even think about the little sparrows that would get to make their nests in the 4 apartment “high class” bird house like I hope it’d turn out. At times I’d even think how being occupied in my mind with this project while listening to bible teachings or praise and worship was good for me.
It wasn’t until last night when the video of the song I’d listened to a couple dozen times about a year ago came to mind that something clicked in my mind. I suppose you could say a picture began to form in my mind. What if God knew (He Did), that in a few months I’d be laid off work on July 2nd. What if He knew (He Did) that a little object lesson would be good for me to bolster my Faith in Him. What if He even put the thought in my head to build a birdhouse that would eventually be made for sparrows. What if He knew (He Did) that one day the Light of Faith would come on with a new thought. “If God cares so much for the sparrows that He would put a thought in my head to build them a deluxe 4 room apartment in 110 degree heat index, HOW MUCH does He Care for me???”
Thankfully, God answers prayers when we tell Him how we need Him to help us to see and not miss the things He thinks is important for us to see and understand, even the simple things of Faith in Him. In case you’re wondering, the birdhouse isn’t finished, the last part will be painting the outside white.
Matthew 6:25-27
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
Matthew 10:27-31 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
His Eye is on the Sparrow Lyrics
Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
P.S. Wednesday, Sept. 4th 2019. I finished the House Sparrow birdhouse and put it up today. I was waiting for the scripture decal to arrive.
In The Word 