The Sparrow

Matthew 10:29-31 – Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (NIV 2011)

This morning when I stepped onto the porch, our neighbourhood cat, Meow-Meow, rubbed against my legs. Behind her was a "present": a dead sparrow. My mind immediately flew to the old hymn, "His Eye is on the Sparrow". That hymn, penned by Civilla D. Martin in 1905 with music by Charles H. Gabriel, became my mother's favourite during World War II. Some of my earliest memories include her playing the violin with tears streaming down her cheeks. We often prayed that daddy would return safe and sound.

Mom's violin also carried us through difficult peacetime adjustments. Although mother often said that she couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, she continued to play this song whenever she felt discouraged by conditions after the war. My father's artistic skill gave him work as a drawing board artist, but that provided only meagre wages. Housing was scarce, so returning servicemen and their families were put up in Quonset huts that had been converted from army barracks. During this time, we were grateful for sparse meals and a roof over our heads, because the war was over and the future looked bright. Mom said, "God knows our needs because He knows when a sparrow falls."

These days, I'm a great-grandmother who remembers the difficulties that the war caused on the home front. As our politicians rattle their sabres, I pray for peace. Although I never experienced the ravages of war, I do remember the childhood fear that my father wouldn't return. Once again, I'm comforted by today's Scripture verses.

God knows all about our needs, and that means that we are in His protective care, no matter what happens on the international scene. Even if this life should end, we will still be His in eternity. Indeed, since God knows when a sparrow falls to the ground, He certainly knows all about our troubles. We can take comfort in that fact and trust in God's care.

Thought: God knows when a sparrow falls to the ground, so we can trust Him to care for us.

Prayer: Father God, You care when a sparrow falls to the ground, so we come confidently to You, trusting that no matter what happens, You will care for us through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share this devotional on Facebook     Like PresbyCan on Facebook