A Sparrow

READ: PSALMS 84:3; 139:1-18; MATTHEW 10:29-31; LUKE 12:6-7

I love bird watching. Birds are amazing creatures, and their design showcases God’s ingenuity and creative power. In my yard I see mostly sparrows, not the most exotic of the bird kind, yet as I watch them many truths reverberate in me.

The sparrow is a common bird, found on nearly every continent, yet it is mentioned in the Bible on more than one occasion.

In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, for example, we read that Jesus mentioned sparrows. They were a small, common, and cheap bird. One copper coin (which would be less than a dollar in today’s economy) could get you two, but Jesus said that, even though they seem to have little value in the world’s eyes, God the Father knows when each one falls, and He cares. Then Jesus said, the very hairs of our head are numbered by God, so we don’t need to fear, because we are “worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31).

Our God knows when an everyday common bird falls to the ground, yet our hairs are numbered! To me, this is both humbling and encouraging. God, who created the entire universe, is intimately involved in all of His creation—from the littlest bird to His beloved image bearers (Genesis 1:26-27).

It’s easy to feel distracted, lost, and even worthless as we go through life in this broken world, but when we turn to Scripture, it reminds us that God deeply loves, cares for, and is involved in all of His wonderful creation.

Not only does our loving God remember each sparrow, He tells us we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14; Luke 12:6). We are a part of God’s creation, and if we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we are a part of His family, and that is a wonderful thing! • Stephanie Mathews

• Why do you think the world seems to value things that are rare and exotic more than things that are common and ordinary? Do you think that’s how God sees His creation?

• How could you take some time to be outside and behold God’s creation this week, whether through bird watching or some other way?

[Jesus said,] “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.” Luke 12:6 (NIV)