Insignificant Wonders

BySkip Moen, Ph.D.

“Therefore do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows.”  Matthew 10:31 NASB

Sparrow – Who would imagine that God could teach us something from a word about birds?  The Greek word is strouthion.  It is a diminutive.  In other words, it is a word that means “little birds.”  Did you ever go to the State Fair when you were a kid?  I remember going there and seeing baby chicks for sale, and tiny turtles, and little lizards and goldfish in plastic bags.  They were inexpensive delightful pets.  Unfortunately, they usually did not live very long after they got back to my house.

Yeshua didn’t go to country fairs.  I’m fairly certain He didn’t have a pet turtle as a young boy.  But he knew how to point toward God through the smallest and most insignificant things of the world.  Hairs on your head, wildflowers in the field, mustard seeds and tiny birds.  God keeps track of all of them.  God loves all of them.  After all, it is His world.  He made it.  And if He loves and cares for these tiny parts of His world, He certainly cares about us.

On clear nights I look up at the stars and find myself shaken by the majesty of His creation.  I often think how insignificant I am compared to the vast universe.  God made it all, from the cosmic to the microscopic.  I’m not much compared to all that.  But then I think about tiny birds.  They’re not much compared to me.  And God loves them.  That fact can make me cry.  God loves me.  He certainly didn’t have to love me.  Especially when I spent so much of my life telling Him to mind His own business.  But I am His business, and thank God, He did mind it.   Is there anything more fundamental to life than to know that God loves us?

Yeshua tells us that because God loves us we do not have to be afraid.  He encourages us about those moments when we are overwhelmed with concern about life, when we are afraid that life will spin out of control or fall into unbearable circumstances.  Yeshua says, “The Father who made everything cares about you.  He is watching over you.  You don’t have to fear for your life.”  Today is a great day to lift up our hands and say, “Thank you, Lord, for loving me.  It’s wonderful not to be afraid to be alive.”

The Greek poets were wrong.  It is not better never to be born.  It is not better to exit this life as soon as possible.  It is better to see the tiny birds, to smell the wildflowers, to notice the hairs on your head – and to realize that God cares for all of it – including you!

Topical Index:  sparrows, strouthion, love, afraid, Matthew 10:31

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Mary

Cyndee, praying for you and your daughter. I am praying my own daughter is not on her way to being consumed by alcohol. May YHWH’s Spirit overtake them both with undeniable Love.

cyndee

I join with you in agreement that YHWH is faithful and will complete the good work in our daughters that He began! AMEN!!

Richard

Thanks Skip for a great word of encouragement …

Gayle Johnson

I second the Thanks for this, to you and to God. An encouraging word at just the right time.

Lori

This is so timely for me. I actually was quite overwhelmed last evening with some rather scary thoughts. This is so comforting and reminds me of something I just read recently in one of your books. That is, God does not do good things, He is goodness. I imagine we can apply that here. He does not just love us, He is love. He cannot help Himself! That, for me, changes my whole perspective of who God is and some lies I have believed all my life. Praise Yah and thanks Skip!

carl roberts

I woke up this morning, dear family and friends, with this running through my heart:

(songs from our Savior..)

There’s the wonder of sunset at evening,
The wonder as sunrise I see;

But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is the wonder that God loves me.

O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.

O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.

There’s the wonder of springtime and harvest,
The sky, the stars, the sun;

But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is a wonder that’s only begun.

O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.

O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think, (just to know) that God loves me!

Yes, my brothers, God does love us- and with a Love we have only yet begun to know, for His Love, tHis Love, Calvary’s Love, will be ours for many moons to come. I would say “till death do us part”- but this love extends beyond the portal of this life, the doorway marked ‘death.’ For the Christian, for those who belong to Him, whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, ~ to die is gain..~
Please believe me when I say, I’m not ready to go yet, for as I prayed yesterday evening, “I’ve got a lot of living to do!”- but His glorious words remain tatooed upon the brain, ~ to live is Christ and to die is gain ~ (Philippians 1.21)
Here’s the kicker.. I (too) would be a Christian if there were no Heaven. If in this life, if this was “all there is” (as some believe) I would still be a follower of Him who is the Way. Why? (it thrills me to tell it!) Because of Him. To know Him in this life-Yes,- today- right here- right now- in the place where I sit- “you can have all this world, but give me Jesus.” Who is the Pearl of great price? He is. Who is our reason for living? He is. Who gives us our next breath and heartbeat? He does. ~ For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things ~ “Believest thou this?” (lol!) Do you believe this? Or has your faith gone beyond belief into the wonderful land of knowing? I know this. I know this “up close and personal”- for He has delivered me. Again, and again and again. I know it. I have, (praise God!) a “know-so” salvation.

Saved by His power divine
Saved to new life sublime

Life now is sweet
and my Joy is complete
for I’m saved, saved- saved.

Our salvation is a three-fold tri-unity. (Personal testimony time y’all). I have been saved from the penalty of sin. ~ the wages/consequences of sin is death/separation ~ (Go ask Adam- He can testify). Ask me also- I can testify- been there- done that- didn’t like it, – sin stinks and sin is stupid. Sin is the most stupid thing any man can do and sin (assuredly) short-circuits the mind. A few of our myriad gifts from Above? “sight, riches, healing of the mind”- and yes, more… Oh!- the “more” of Christ! – May I continue?
Christ has paid (in full) my sin debt- and now.. and now..- the debt of love I owe.. Dear LORD, I give myself away ’tis all that I can do.. under new “ownership” y’all.. I belong to the Shepherd! -and He is good, – always good- and?…- all the time.. and? – to everyone. ←!
My past? Covered. Atoned for. A perfect propitiating Sacrifice has been provided on a hill called Mt. Calvary.
But we are not only saved “from” something, but we are saved “for” something. From the unfruitful works of darkness, (that was then) but this is “now” ~ giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light ~ (His kingdom!). Yes, my Father, – (our Father) is a King. Almost makes me want to say a very timid, meek and mild, weak “amen!” (lol!)
The present? It is a gift. Every day, every moment, every breath and every heartbeat- friends, each are gifts from above. I’ve about come to a conclusion in this case.. (overwhelming evidence!) – “it’s all good!”-
Part 2. We are “being saved” from the power (authority) of sin. ~ for sin shall no longer have dominion (authority) over you! ~ (could I give just a wee bit of a tiny shout here?) Oh? Are we (he asked) running “to” sin or “from” sin? (Which way did he go?) What is the direction of your life? Where does sin lead to? ~ What do the scriptures say? ~ The person who sins is the one who will die ~ (Ezekiel 18.20) Again, -ask Adam.
Part 3. (It just keeps on gettin’ “more gooder!” – my English professor would be so proud!) We will be saved from the presence of sin and that will be one gloriously happy day! I’ve seen (yes, up close and personal) what sin can do, the home-wrecker that it is. I’ve got the scars and the t-shirt to prove it. But, (praise His Name)- there is a Savior and Jesus (absolutely/positively) saves completely. From stem to stern, inside and out- “completely.” ~ and He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day Christ is fully revealed ~

What God starts, He finishes, but please..be patient with me, God is not finished with me yet!

[A psalm; a song; for the day of worship.] It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to make music to praise your Name, O Most High (Psalm 92.1)

Is it? –

– there’s within my heart, a melody..

~ and He who did not spare his own Son, but gave Him up for us all–how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? ~ (Romans 8.32)

Carol Mattice

Beautiful response Carl to Skip’s posting of the day…

Rich Pease

Thanks, Skip. Straight from God’s heart!

Dorothy

When a man wants to prove His love for a woman, what are some ways he expresses it?

• He may write a poem, a love letter, a song.
• He may give her an expensive gift.
• He may ask her to be his bride.
• He might die for her.

God did it all, all anyone could ever do!
God loves us and we are created with an ability to reciprocate!

We are created to love and enjoy God, but born with a bent toward a joy-destroying disease wherein we tend to think we are center and central to everything. The world, the devil, and the lust of the eye create bondage and self service. Every minute lost in self-love is waste. God rescues us from the house of mirrors and leads us out to the mountains and canyons of his majesty. Nothing satisfies us – or magnifies him – more.

And we see Him in the bright stars, we hear the rolling thunder,
we consider all the worlds His hands have made, His great power throughout the universe displayed!
I touch the tender fingers of a baby, smell his sweet babybreath, catch and press a raindrop to my lips . . .

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee, ♫♪
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!” ♫♪

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

fibromom

Skip,
Some who commented here mentioned perfect timing in this post. I can also attest to that. Praise God that He took you to this Word for THIS morning. Thank you for submitting to Him. That act blesses ME.

carl roberts

Yes, with God, “little things do mean a lot!” God of the macro and the micro. Even the LORD of laminin(?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z3dhrUA18g