A robin facing the sunrise, Easter 2017

Birds are amazing creatures. My country backyard abounds with them. A birdbath filling is a daily ritual around here. And when the magpies show up, it is a multi-times-a-day ritual!

The details that have been poured into their precious little bodies astounds me. How can I be astounded when I have seen thousands of birds over the years? Because I have newly seen them, because I have paused to see them.

The shape and size of their feathers. The color. The texture. Their little toes and cute little voices–or big toes and big, cacophonous voices. Their busy little schedules they keep at 6:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., and even when I am trying to sleep. Stunning.

And to think at times, I just see a blob of birds and don’t think about the details. But God knows each little bird in that blob, and He knows when each one falls to the ground.* And what’s more, He cares about each bird…and the people watching them.

We look around and see we are a blob of humanity, flitting here and there from thing to thing to thing, keeping busy schedules–even when we are supposed to be asleep. But if we take pause and look closer, we will see exquisite details. Beautiful colors. Small voices and large.

And to think, God looks at each one of us and thinks about the details–and cares about the details. He knows each one of us. He knows when each one of us falls to the ground.

He is the bird-maker and the bird-watcher. And if He cares for each one of these creatures, how much more will He care for us, additional creations of His? And how much more for someone who has become more than just one of His creations, someone who has become one of His children through Jesus’s salvation and who wants His involvement in the details.

If we who are His children pause and look closer, we will see His hand in the details. He knows His children: when we are rising up or sitting down, what we are thinking, all of our ways, all of our words. He is before us and behind us, and His hand is upon us. There is nowhere we can go where we will be out of His presence. His hand leads us and holds us. His light shines around us. He formed us intricately and awesomely, and He continues to think about us. He never leaves our sides. His works are marvelous, and our souls have the opportunity to know it. Have we paused to know it?**

*See Matthew 10:29
**See Psalm 139

©Text and photo, Francee Strain.  Original post, August 30, 2017.  Revised post, May 9, 2020.