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Listen while you read: "O Lord Of Heav'n And Earth And Sea"1 (Lyrics) |
No one needed to tell those five baby robins to open wide their mouths. It was instinct! And what a sight that was!
My husband had connected a television screen to a video camera pointing at a robin's nest built under the eve next door. From the ease of my recliner, I was able to watch the robin family with endless fascination.
Meal delivery arrived every few minutes, supplied by untiring parents. Both father and mother shared the task. Upon their arrival, five bobbing necks would instantly shoot upwards with their flaming orange mouths opened wide for the prize.
Watching this scenario on the screen in larger-than-life size was not always pleasant. Monstrous worms, squirmy grubs, and assorted bugs were shoved down the open throats. Sometimes those creatures were still alive, still wiggling their skinny legs as they descended to their deaths. I can only assume that this was appetizing to robins. It was undoubtedly nutritious.
As I witnessed these repetitive feeding frenzies, I'd often think of God's plea to His straying people, the Israelites:
Psalm 81:10b – Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. (NIV)
Isn't that still God's plea? Do we hear it? Maybe not. For, unlike His animal creations, we humans can lose our craving for good food, God's spiritual nurture. Oh, how that grieves our heavenly Father! He knows how it weakens us.
Imagine a father robin dangling a delicious worm over his offspring, and not one chick opens its mouth. Of course, that doesn't happen! Yet, it certainly happens to us. In fact, I'm sensing that God is using this robin family to draw me to Himself, and once again hear Him pleading, "My child, receive from Me! Let Me love you! Let Me shelter you safely. Let Me feed you. Open wide your mouth."
I had begun watching the nest before the eggs hatched out. I quickly found myself bonding with the mother robin, empathizing with her maternal instincts. I watched her tenderly care for her eggs. The day that they hatched, she was up and down, sitting and standing. It was a big day for her. I watched her poke her beak around in the nest to nudge her hatchlings and to clean out debris.
By watching the robins so closely, I realized that the parents provide much more than food. They provide themselves through their hovering presence. They poke their heads down to connect with each baby. I watched the wee ones snuggle under the mother's fluffy orange breast.
Oh, how I want to know such sweet connection with my heavenly Father. I can! It's what He promised.
Psalm 91:4 – He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. (NIV)
Maybe you'd like to pray with me like this:
Prayer: Dearest Father, You know about that unsettling concern on my mind. Help me to be like a little bird resting trustfully under Your soft, feathery breast and Your strong protecting wings. Amen.
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Thank you.
Amen, Diane.
Yes! Perfect, Diane. Thank you!
A strong meaningful message. THANK YOU!
What a beautiful and encouraging post, Diane. Thanks and blessings!
Good one Diane.
Thanks and blessings.
Thank you for your beautiful inspiring meditation.
God bless you.
Thank you for today’s reading. Very inspiring and uplifting.
Just what I needed to hear. Blessing to you and family.
What a lovely thought, Diane. If only we could relax enough to just snuggle in and be blessed and nourished by Him.
Nothing like the simplicity of nature to communicate truth about human life and a sovereign Creator Diane. Blessings.
A delightful read, Diane and SO well thought out! What a joy to have you share this unique experience with us all. Thank you.
Thank you, Diane, for giving such an applicable illustration to us so we can go to the Father and open our mouths wide for His spiritual nourishment.
Thank you for the lesson from the robins. Keep on writing your devotionals and how we need to encourage people to open their minds to the truth of the gospel.
Amen and amen. Thanks for sharing this informative devotional with us. The birds’ nests in my carport are a daily source of wonder to me. Except I don’t relish the task of cleaning up the bird poop below them!
Blessings.
Hi Diane,
As a birder, I can appreciate your comments on watching the robin feed its young, and especially the spiritual application of the Lord trying to feed us. How wonderful to have a TV screen to be able to see all that! A very apt devotional; thank you!
Hi Diane,
You wrote so beautify about the Robin family and times that we need to be sheltered under God’s wings. You have a true gift at writing. Thank you for your wonderful devotion!
(Ontario)
Thank you, Diane, for another of your very inspiring devotionals. A beautiful story of the care and protection the baby robins were receiving. True that our loving Lord is ever ready to give us the same comfort and protection when we call on Him. Wonderful assurance is ours and He most certainly deserves our gratitude. Blessings for these writings you do.
Good morning, Diane,
Such a good devotional this morning. Such a vivid description of the little birds. I can relate, I saw it hundreds of times with my homing pigeons. I find it so sad that so many people are not craving for God. It is on my mind so often.
Thank you for writing.
Hi Diane!
As a former teacher, voracious reader, and someone who enjoys creative writing, I very much enjoyed your use of descriptive words in today’s devotion. You described clearly what you were seeing, and as a result, I, too, was able to see the “bobbing heads” reaching for food.
Good analogy! Thank you!
(ON)
Good morning, Diane,
The title “Open Wide Your Mouth” lead me into thinking about my faith that this devotional was going to be about spreading the good news. Definitely not thinking at all that it would be about a refuge under God’s feathers and he will be my shield. It is something I do when I see the titles of devotionals that I try to imagine where they are going to take me.
I loved all the learnings about how robins take care of their offspring. I like your message that God will take care of me. I love how your mind works to awaken my mind to see God in a different light.
What a great chance to see the robins develop.
Wishing you many new awakenings and a great day. Blessings.
Dear Diane,
Thank you so much for another inspiring devotional. I am going to copy out that prayer and put it in my book of quotes. Right now, we on our street are suffering the aftermath of destruction of homes and yards from the recent tornado-like storm. We were without hydro for 14 days. We were so blessed that the huge precious trees in the back yard came down on either side of our house, leaving the house itself unscathed. However, we lost six ancient trees which were my joy…two absolutely huge ones. It has left us shaken in many ways. God has provided for us so graciously in so many ways. We are grateful.
Again, thank you so much for your devotional which ministered to my heart.
Morning Diane,
What a very effective devotional you have written for today’s Canadian Presbyterian Prayer site. AND, what an experience for you to be able to watch the robins so closely. This year we attached a hummingbird feeder to the window over our kitchen sink…no births taking place there but a chance to watch these little creatures feed. AND, for an additional treat, a painted bunting came to see what all the action concerned. I am not sure if there are painted buntings in Canada but look them up on the internet. They are spectacular! My husband has seen them on our ranch, but they don’t come around houses, etc., very much. That was my treat for the year.
Thank you again for your very well written message.
(Texas)
Love it.
(B.C.)
Thank you for that beautiful picture and paring it with scripture!