On Friday, my heart sinks as my mom tells me that songbirds are dying of an unknown illness.
I hold back tears as I read the article and look at the dead bird in the picture. Birds are my friends. They're what I always watched from my window while in bed. Now with a heavy heart I slip outside to put my bird feeder away as the article instructs.
I wonder if I'll find a dead bird. I don't like that thought, yet I know that not a sparrow falls to the ground without the Lord's permission and knowledge. (Matthew 10:29)
I know He cares for the birds, I know He cares for me, and I know that really we are all dying every day, but a new creation is coming. I take comfort in that.
I take comfort in this future hope, but I can't deny the pain of this world. I can't deny that the birds are dying, that children are starving, and that I have friends suffering in ways most cannot fathom. I can't deny that sometimes I lie awake at night feverish and sweaty, then cold, then hot again, and all the while my head pounds and my stomach revolts, and I desperately whisper, "Jesus, have mercy," as I try to fall back asleep. I can't deny there is so much pain in this world that I didn't even list.
And I can't deny that God allows all this pain, and He could stop it this instant. So why doesn't He?
I don't know, but when I look to the cross, I do know what the answer can't be. As Tim Keller said, "It can’t be that He doesn’t love us! It can’t be that He doesn’t care. He is so committed to our ultimate happiness that he was willing to plunge into the greatest depths of suffering himself."¹
That evening as I look outside my window, now with no bird feeder, I listen to Is He Worthy by Andrew Peterson, and the words are a balm to my weary heart.
"Do you feel the world is broken?
(We do)
Do you feel the shadows deepen?
(We do)
But do you know that all the dark won't
Stop the light from getting through?
(We do)
Do you wish that you could see it all made new?
We do)
Is all creation groaning?
(It is)
Is a new creation coming?
(It is)
Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst?
(It is)
Is it good that we remind ourselves of this?
(It is)
Does the Father truly love us?
(He does)
Does the Spirit move among us?
(He does)
And does Jesus, our Messiah hold forever those He loves?
(He does)
Does our God intend to dwell again with us?
(He does)"
Amen, come Lord Jesus.
I hold back tears as I read the article and look at the dead bird in the picture. Birds are my friends. They're what I always watched from my window while in bed. Now with a heavy heart I slip outside to put my bird feeder away as the article instructs.
I wonder if I'll find a dead bird. I don't like that thought, yet I know that not a sparrow falls to the ground without the Lord's permission and knowledge. (Matthew 10:29)
I know He cares for the birds, I know He cares for me, and I know that really we are all dying every day, but a new creation is coming. I take comfort in that.
I take comfort in this future hope, but I can't deny the pain of this world. I can't deny that the birds are dying, that children are starving, and that I have friends suffering in ways most cannot fathom. I can't deny that sometimes I lie awake at night feverish and sweaty, then cold, then hot again, and all the while my head pounds and my stomach revolts, and I desperately whisper, "Jesus, have mercy," as I try to fall back asleep. I can't deny there is so much pain in this world that I didn't even list.
And I can't deny that God allows all this pain, and He could stop it this instant. So why doesn't He?
I don't know, but when I look to the cross, I do know what the answer can't be. As Tim Keller said, "It can’t be that He doesn’t love us! It can’t be that He doesn’t care. He is so committed to our ultimate happiness that he was willing to plunge into the greatest depths of suffering himself."¹
That evening as I look outside my window, now with no bird feeder, I listen to Is He Worthy by Andrew Peterson, and the words are a balm to my weary heart.
"Do you feel the world is broken?
(We do)
Do you feel the shadows deepen?
(We do)
But do you know that all the dark won't
Stop the light from getting through?
(We do)
Do you wish that you could see it all made new?
We do)
Is all creation groaning?
(It is)
Is a new creation coming?
(It is)
Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst?
(It is)
Is it good that we remind ourselves of this?
(It is)
Does the Father truly love us?
(He does)
Does the Spirit move among us?
(He does)
And does Jesus, our Messiah hold forever those He loves?
(He does)
Does our God intend to dwell again with us?
(He does)"
Amen, come Lord Jesus.