Free As a Bird

As I sit on the porch before my day takes off, a Carolina wren flits from the potted avocado tree to the rim of the bird bath. Her tail, always cocked at a perky angle, strikes my funny bone. She hops this way and that until she’s comfortable with her surroundings before dipping into the water.  She raises her head, beak pointing to the sky, and shivers her feathers. She delights me with her antics until an imaginary voice intrudes. “Don’t waste your life.” 

Living a Christian life can be confusing. On one hand, God’s love sent Jesus to exchange His perfect life for my tainted one, and I do nothing except receive it. On the other hand, my life ought reflect this gift. Faith without works isn’t genuine faith. Faith with ceaseless works is no faith either. Quieting myself to appreciate God’s creation tells Him that I have faith in Him. The world will not wilt if I sit idle on my porch, because God keeps things running, not me.

I imagine Him sitting on the glider beside me as I nudge Him about the wren. He smiles and whispers that He gets a kick out of this creature too. The bird isn’t performing. She bathes and preens and hops as her kind is wired to do, yet she brings joy to me and to her Creator. Don’t I bring Him pleasure by simply being myself also?

 In my relationship with God, I rest in who I am but do not sink into complacency. There is not an exact balance between the two. The sweet spot is found in the Holy Spirit, not in a cause. He blows and pulls, shifts and eddies. His current doesn’t lead to a string of goals. He is the goal, immersion in a divine person. He moves me into service instead of me searching for them and second guessing my choices. Of course, I wander from Him, but that also was covered by God’s gift of Jesus.

There are times He moves me to be still and know that He is God. These times, He speaks most often through the universal language of His creation. I do not worship nature but am awed by the Master Artist/Scientist of nature. His beauty, His imagination and His brilliance overwhelm me. 

This worship is a kind of work but does not feel like work. It’s a freedom to be myself. It feels like laughter and refreshment. It feels like a shared memory. It feels like dunking in a birdbath on a hot day and shaking off the water.

8 thoughts on “Free As a Bird”

  1. I love how you look at God’s creation and enjoy it as much as I do. I have squirrels and birds that play in my tree, outside of my little bedroom and they seen so happy. They are so entertaining and I love how they just chase each other before one of them scurries away. All of this reminds me of the seasons of my life and how things were peaceful, then hectic and now they are peaceful and happy times because I am away from the rat race of life. I can spend as much time with God as I want because I have the freedom, from work, to do it. He is constantly with me and I am happy with Him just being with me so I can whisper to Him or invite Him into my day. Thanks for this marvelous message. It sure reminded me of how I feel about nature, it’s creatures and my brothers & sisters in Christ. Love you, my sweet friend!!

    1. Kathy, I love reading about your little zoo out your window. Those little creatures bring us so much pleasure and are such marvelous assurances of God’s existence. You are in my prayers. What a comfort to know that you are experiencing joyful peace as you rest.Thank you for your comments!

  2. Lee Ann Marona

    Beautiful reflection and paining. Thank you for sharing. I printed both to hold in my hand and enjoy again.

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