Weekly Devotion: 2/20/25 “Finchy” by Rev. Zack Martin
As some of you know, I have three large bird feeders outside of the windows of my kitchen and living room. So far, they are safe and secure from deer and squirrels. The squirrels are too lazy to climb the slick metal poles, and deer don’t seem to notice the feeders high above their heads. I take great pleasure in a morning routine of sitting down to coffee on the sofa, catching up on the news, and watching the cardinals, titmice, and finches eat their breakfast while I eat mine.
I sometimes wonder if they think of this location as paradise. They know that it’s free and easy food. They’ve told their friends. They may even know at some level that cats, snakes, and other predators aren’t attacking them. They may feel safe. Judging by how fat they are, they are very safe! I think I probably feed about 20-30 birds a day. That’s a lot of air traffic. Which can lead to problems in paradise.
A week ago, the front door opened for some reason and a finch flew into the room. A bird in the house turns humans into funny creatures. It’s like a mouse running around the house, only now the mouse has wings and moves in three dimensions.
“Finchy” flew around the foyer and swooped into the family room. I’m sure he panicked as much as we did. My son and I waved our arms like Pentecostals trying to motivate him back out the front door. Finchy hit the ceiling and the walls a few times, but then somehow saw the birdfeeder outside the window. His must have thought “SAFETY”, as he flew straight toward the window. Sadly, he bonked his head hard on the glass. Fortunately, it was only enough to confuse, not kill, him. Dazed, he perched on the window sash staring out at the feeder only a few inches away, but blocked by something he didn’t understand. My son gently cupped his hands around Finchy and walked him outside to freedom.
I think sometimes we can be like Finchy. We fly through life thinking all is well, but then something happens. We find ourselves in a new, unexpected situation and we’re trying to make sense of it. We stumble around trying to figure out what to do to fly straight again but to no avail. We may even see something that reminds us of safety, and we fly towards it only to get bonked on the head.
That new place in life may be our children growing into a new phase of life requiring another level of parenting we didn’t expect. We may find our job disappeared and we’re flapping around trying to find our way. A close friend or family member may pass away and we’re lost. We might think we see a safe place to fly, but then we’re bonked on the head realizing it wasn’t what we thought it might be. Life is confusing when changes happen.
Jesus offers words of comfort. He once said, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to your span of life?” (Matthew 6:26-27)
Trust that as you fly through a new situation that God will be with you. Perhaps if you pause, or perch and pray for a moment you will feel God’s comforting hands cupping around you leading you to safety. Your heavenly father will be there for you. Trust in him.
Peace,
