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Listen while you read: "All The Way My Saviour Leads Me"1 (Lyrics) |
Tragedy struck here on the morning of June 27! All four baby robins had suddenly vanished from the nest. We had been video-monitoring their progress every day. They were just nine days old.
We turned on the camera in time to see Mama Robin arrive with a worm in her beak. She must have just discovered the tragedy. We watched her look perplexingly over the nest. She hopped in and circled around. Then, she ate the worm. How sad! While she pecked over the nest's floor for one last clean up, Papa Robin arrived and discovered the tragedy. There they both stood at the nest's edge, gazing at the empty space. Soon, they both flew off, abandoning the nest, likely forever. How tragic!
Likely, moments earlier, the babies had become a hearty breakfast for the nearby crows that probably swooped under the eve of the roof to snatch them up. Yes, crows need food, too. Yes, that's nature — the food chain. And yes, statistics suggest that only 25 per cent of baby robins survive. But such dry facts do nothing for me. That's not the point.
That morning, I was robbed of a little sparkle, a little joyful anticipation. I had enjoyed watching the nest every day. Soon, the big event would have arrived: their first flight. No pre-recorded bird video can replace that sense of anticipation. Actually, it's the anticipation that I lost.
Isn't that what we all need, something to look forward to, something not yet experienced? — some wonder. We can, however, quickly be robbed of our anticipations, sometimes tragically. Thankfully, God's loved ones cannot be robbed of their ultimate anticipation, "an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay." (1 Peter 1:4 NLT)
This heavenly anticipation can easily become dulled in our minds. Earthly preoccupations diminish heaven's wonder. Even our prayers can become restrained by earthly anticipations. We pray for a better life here, for body, nation, church organization, etc. We don't necessarily want God's eternal best. That's sad, for "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men." (1 Corinthians 15:19 NIV)
Through his classic work, "The saints' everlasting rest", Richard Baxter reminds us that if God answered all our prayer requests, we'd become too satisfied here. We'd lose our longing for God's best — His better rest.
On that point, I pause, for suddenly I'm interrupted by a bird's loud, melodious singing drifting in through the window. I look. Why, that's Mama Robin singing heartily from the rooftop next door, near the empty nest. Obviously, tragedy did not rob her of her song!
So also, for us. We can keep on singing. For no matter what tragedy befalls us, we will never be robbed of our best anticipation.
- All the way my Saviour leads me — Oh, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised in my Father's house above:
When my spirit, clothed, immortal, wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages, "Jesus led me all the way!"
– Fanny Crosby
Prayer: Lord, whenever we get too earthly-minded, too settled here, keep us longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Amen.
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Thank you.
So much truth Diane! Blessings.
Thank you for this timely message of hope.
Such inspiring words, Diane. Thanks for sharing.
Great post and reminder, Diane! Thanks and blessings to you!
Thank you for writing about this tragedy that brings out our anticipation and hope in the Lord.
Thank you, Diane, for sharing your experiences. That’s a very thought-provoking quote by Richard Baxter.
Well written. Thank you. I’ve never thought of being too satisfied here! So nice to have a message to forward to my kids. Enjoy sabbath.
How sad! We feed the birds, but the ravens and squirrels raid the feeders! I’m learning to only put out a cup of feed at a time. One thing good comes from the sloppy crows dumping the feed on the ground. The rabbits get their share. Thanks for sharing. Blessings.
Dear Diane,
Thank you so much for your lovely devotional once again.
I am so glad that the Lord is still enabling you to write them.
I wish you the Lord’s blessings throughout your life.
He uses you to bring His message to so many people.
Dear Diane,
Thank you for another of your special writings. Very sad sight to witness mother robin finding her little robins gone. The hymn “All the Way Our Saviour Leads Us” is the perfect one to go along with your devotional today. Very reassuring words to reflect on. Blessings for your writings.
Thank you, Diane,
I posted today how much I was missing my Dad, I know where he is, so I am not sad, just missing him today. Good story. I sang All the way my Saviour leads me. It was his testimony throughout his life. So I am blessed today that that is what you put as the song, and as our anticipation! ALL the way My Saviour leads me. That is something to anticipate!
Thank you again.
Good morning, Diane,
A very important message of you have woven from the tragedy of the baby robins. I did not know that only 25% of the baby robins will survive. As you point out there is a reason for how nature works.
I can relate to your point. Through his classic work, “The saints’ everlasting rest”, Richard Baxter reminds us that if God answered all our prayer requests, we’d become too satisfied here. We’d lose our longing for God’s best – His better rest.”. It is like when the sun peaks out after a very dull day. Or the anticipation of summer as the days start to get longer in the month of February. If God answered all our prayers positively, we would be satisfied here on earth and not anticipation heaven. We also might not be inspired to spread the good news so that others gain that anticipation.
Thank you for sharing in your own unique way and maybe you can continue to sing like Mother Robin.
Blessings.
Good morning, Diane,
Thank you for sharing your story “Tragedy” on the PresbyCan Daily Devotionals. I feel for you and your sadness about the fate of the young robins. It has been years since a robin has nested in our backyard and there was suddenly a beautifully and solidly built nest in our pine tree. She had 2 eggs and carefully managed them. It would have been so nice to see them hatch, get fed and take their first steps and flight.
I can’t remember if it was late June or early July, but we had a nasty windstorm. I watched her from a window sitting on a branch nearby while the nest was tossed to and fro. I prayed that she would get in the nest to protect her eggs, but for whatever reason, she stayed where she was. The next day she didn’t return to the nest. I took a look (as the nest was on a lower branch) and the eggs were gone too. No broken egg shells on the ground, so they didn’t fall out. I predict that another bird must have swooped them up. It is sad because you feel for creation and the beauty of this birth.
Thank you for your prayer “Lord, whenever we get too earthly-minded, too settled here, keep us longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Amen.” It’s a reminder of what we need to stay focused on.
Blessings,
(ON)
Thank you for your encouraging words, Diane. They have come exactly at the right time. I was telling the Lord that I felt a “sense of purposeless” today, which is not the usual case. He reminded me that each day has a new purpose, and I can’t live on ‘yesterday’s purpose’ which, hopefully, has been fulfilled.
So I will regroup and ask Him once again if He has a plan or purpose for me to fulfil today. Patience is not my strong point. Sometimes I must wait a little longer in His Presence to hear His whispers.