A Lesson From a Baby Bird, a Big Black Beetle and a Pair of Sheep

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…”

John 10:  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.”

Yesterday I saw something which was quite sad but combined with two things that I saw on our bike ride today on the Cowichan Valley Trail, there is a definite lesson for me.

Yesterday afternoon I was sitting on a chair in our back yard and I noticed that a paper wasp had landed on something small and pink.  The wasp stayed on the object for quite a time as though it was gathering food.  After it flew away I went over to see what the pink thing was, and was sad to discover that it was a tiny baby bird.  No feathers, surely newly hatched.  We have had quite a lot of wind lately, so I must surmise that the baby was blown out of the nest.  There was not a mark on its little body so I don’t think that it was tossed out by the mother or other siblings.   I wondered at the brevity of this little life, and it made me think of the verse from the book of Ecclesiastes concerning the fact that there is a season and a time to everything.  It was not meant for this little bird to grow, and fledge and live a normal life.
Then today husband and I went for a bike ride on the Cowichan Valley Trail.  It has been a week since we have been there, and I was a little shaky on the way up the trail.  At one point I saw two bike riders coming towards me from a distance so I stopped and got off my bike.  It was then that I noticed a big black beetle making its way across the trail to the other side.  I wondered whether or not it was going to survive two bikes going by.  As I watched, the first bike passed missing the beetle by not more than an inch.  The beetle turned 90 degrees to the left and the second bike passed him by at a greater distance.

I remembered how the baby bird died very shortly after hatching, and marveled at how this beetle had lived in the face of danger.
Husband and I travelled further up the trail and then turned around and headed back.  And about half-way back  I noticed that husband had stopped and then I saw that there were two sheep at the side of the trail, grazing.  I took several photographs of them and then remembered John chapter 10, and the teaching about the Lord Jesus being the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep.

There was a lesson in all these things.  That being, all things are in God’s hands, he gives life, and he takes it away,  the baby bird died, I know not why, but the beetle lived.  The Good Shepherd cares for all.  Sometimes we don’t understand why things happen, but God knows and we just have to trust in him and in his sovereign will for all creation.

Below is a photo of the pair of sheep..  my reminder of the Good Shepherd.
My husband always says that I go too slow on my bike, but which is better? to go fast and miss all the things the Lord has to show me? or to go slow and see them all.  I will continue to ride slowly and marvel at what the Lord has for me.

vcg/May 2016

What Does It Mean to be Saved: It Means to be Born Again

John 3:3-8 "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily,verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

Ephesians 2:1-5 "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (By grace ye are saved.)"
 
How do you describe a saved person? What is a true Christian, what is the distinctive characteristic of a Christian?  Is it someone who is nice? there are lots of nice people in this world and they are not Christians, so this is not the distinctive characteristic.  Is it love? Other people love who are not Christians.  Love is the outflow of the Christian life and it is a great witness, but love nor niceness nor even religious duty, nor faithfulness in attendance at church are the distinguishing mark of a Christian.  Because Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists can do all these things. What about a Christian sets them apart? It is doctrine, it is what a Christian believes, in this generation when no one wants to define a Christian, the distinguishing mark is the gospel which they believe.  Doctrine, theology, what they believe is distinct from any other religion.  A Christian is defined by and identified by what they believe and that is unique and unparalleled in any other religion.  If you don't believe certain things you are not a Christian, simple as that.  If you don't believe the gospel, you are not a Christian under any meaning of the word.  There is no such thing as a nominal Christian.   The Word of God defines what a Christian is.