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Psalm 81:10 – For it was I, the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things. (NLT)
When I heard the chirping, I knew that their mouths were full.
After settling into my new position as pastor of a small rural church, I placed a few things on the front porch of the office building, among them a birdhouse. Within a few days, a mother bluebird began building her nest. I looked from my office window as she carefully selected materials and brought them to the house. When she started entering the house, I knew that she had laid her eggs.
Two weeks later, I knew that the eggs had hatched. I heard small, intermittent chirps. As the days passed, the chirps grew louder as the baby birds aged. I'd peek out of my window and see little mouths extended from the small hole as mom and dad bluebird hung on the outside of the birdhouse stuffing food into those eager beaks. When they had filled the mouths, they'd fly off again to retrieve more food. It seemed that the little birds just couldn't get enough.
Deliverance from Egyptian slavery was a landmark point in Israel's history that God didn't want His people to forget. After reminding the psalmist of this rescuing in today's verse, God told him to open his mouth, and He would fill it with good things.
There have been countless times when I've missed good things from God because I didn't open my mouth, somewhat like not getting things that I could have had from God because I didn't ask. When Jesus knocks, I have to open; if I want, I have to ask; and if I desire good things, I have to open my mouth.
God is filled with love and mercy. He has wonderful plans for His children. He desires to give us more than we have, but there are conditions. Opening our mouths is one. As the baby birds eagerly received their parents' food, I must receive what God offers. He offers instruction and encouragement from His Word. I'll never go hungry — or wrong — when I receive it. He offers daily guidance from His Spirit. I'll never make a wrong turn when I take it. He gives abundant opportunities. I'll never regret taking them. All I have to do is open my mouth.
Open your mouth, and let God fill it with good things.
Prayer: Father, we yield our hearts to You and ask You to fill our lives with the good things that You have in store for us. Amen.
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Great devotional Martin. Amen to your prayer.
Hello Martin: I’m glad that you have chosen to “open your moth” – allowing God to speak through you.
Blessings.
Dear Martin,
What a great story and wonderful analogy to describe God’s goodness and unending nourishment. Thank you and blessings on your day.
Hi Martin,
All the best in your rural church. May God bless you and the congregation. I liked the story of the blue jay.
Thanks for the devotional it was a good one!!
God bless.
A number of years ago now we had gone to hear a previous minister preach. He had been interim minister and it was his last Sunday. He had been up at the cottage and instead of preparing his sermon he was watching a family of robins who mom and dad decided it was time for them to be pushed out of the nest he compared the members of the congregation to the baby birds and him pushing them out of the nest – some went willingly some hung on to the nest. It was the next day before the last baby bird left the nest.
Your devotional brought the story back.
I guess the next lesson would be: how to find their own food.
(ON)
Good word Martin!
Beautiful.
Thank you.
Again, thanks, Martin Wiles, for a blessed and blessing devotional.
I ask God to keep my mouth and soul open for his greatest blessings.
Keep writing.