”WHEN SPARROWS FALL” - THE VALUE OF ONE SMALL SPARROW

By Mary Lindow

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THE SPARROW IS A CLEVER LITTLE BIRD

In Psalm 84 David describes his longing to be with the people of God and in the actual moment that he wrote this, he was a wanderer; he was a fugitive.

He was not able to be in a place where he could have fellowship with God or other people, and this is when he wrote Psalm 84.

1 How lovely is your dwelling place,  Lord Almighty!

2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;

My heart and my flesh cry out
 for the living God.

Have you ever felt this way or longed for fellowship like David wrote about with the Lord? His word so clearly express what it meant to David.

Then, he remembered one of his bird watching experiences. He remembered how at one time when he was in the house of God, he looked up toward the altar and he noticed some movement. When he looked closer, he found a sparrow building her nest, so he wrote in verse 3:

“Even the sparrow has found a home,

And the swallow a nest for herself,

Where she may have her young—a place near your altar.”

“Lord Almighty, my King and my God!” he said. “I wish I could be like that sparrow.

I wish I could be like that swallow that is able to build its nest at the very altar of God.” What David is saying here is, “Can you think of anything better than to have your home in the altar of God in the sanctuary?”

This is something so very precious to me because I am always so tremendously interested in nurturing and loving my family that I cannot pass this over.

Did you notice this swallow chose the altar of God to build a nest for her family?   She could have chosen any place to build a nest, but she chose the altar of God.

Yes! The sparrow is a clever bird.

BUILDING YOUR NEST IN THE SANCTUARY

I believe that things are put here for a reason and for instruction; so I am going to suggest that if you want your family to be all that God wants it to be, build your nest, metaphorically speaking, at the altar. Build your nest in the sanctuary because in the sanctuary is the answer to every question that you have. And I hope that you understand that I am not talking about a church building! I am talking about your fellowship with God. There must also always be room in your nest to include those with broken wings, or who have been abandoned or left as orphans.

A SPARROW IS VALUABLE

One more lovely thing about the sparrow. The sparrow is a valuable bird. I am sure that some people might question this statement! But it is a valuable bird, indeed. Some may say, “But not to man”! It is Valuable to God though!

I am sure the Lord did some bird watching as he travelled to places with his dear friends, but this particular instance that He records is in the temple.

As He went into the temple one day, He saw a whole bunch of sparrows, (remember that we are talking about a small bird) with their legs tied together, and they were being sold for a sacrifice in the temple.

In Matthew, chapter 10 notice what Jesus has to say about sparrows.

As He looked at those sparrows, He said, in verse 29:

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?”

That was the least expensive offering that anybody could make.

If we were to stop there, we would say what we ordinarily say, “What is a sparrow? They are not worth anything at all,” but the Lord said, in the last part of verse 29:

…and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father knowing about it.

That is how valuable they are. Not one sparrow falls to the ground without God knowing about it.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU SEE A DEAD SPARROW?

Do you just kick it out of the way and go on?  Often we see someone much like the little dead sparrow, wounded or suffering from the cruelty of others too busy to really care about a “broken wing” or perhaps a broken heart.

So many are busy licking their own wounds and getting on with their own lives, that they are unaware of the “sparrows” that God has placed in their midst. Those who need to be invited into a place of “Sanctuary”.! Do you treat your employees like this or a friend who has been through a season of sorrow or loss?

Do you find yourself simply walking past the Wounded or “dead Sparrow”? That would be a normal reaction, but evidently when the Lord saw the sparrow that fell very differently.  He said,

“MY FATHER KNOWS ABOUT THAT SPARROW…

…And my father cares about it.”

Then notice what He says:

Matthew 10

30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

A SPARROW IS SO IMPORTANT TO GOD,

…that it doesn't fall to the ground without God knowing about it, and you and those whom He has placed around you to radiate truth and hope to are of more value than many sparrows.

In Matthew, chapter 6 I think that Lord has done some bird watching and might want us to do some as well!

He said:

Matthew 6:26-34 (NCV)

26 Look at the birds in the air. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. And you know that you are worth much more than the birds.

27 You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? Look at how the lilies in the field grow. They don’t work or make clothes for themselves.

29 But I tell you that even Solomon with his riches was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers.

30 I clothe the grass in the field, which is alive today but tomorrow is thrown into the fire. So you can be even surer that I will clothe you. Don’t have so little faith!

31 Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’

32 The people who don’t know God keep trying to get these things, and your Father in heaven knows you need them.

33 Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well.

34 So don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

A very well spoken and eloquent preacher said one time,

“There is never a sparrow that dies but that God goes to its funeral.”

This really touched my heart and impressed me. Not a sparrow dies, but that God goes to its funeral.

THE NEXT TIME THAT YOU SEE A SPARROW…

…Remember that God is paying attention to that little sparrow. God is interested in you and He is interested and concerned about me as well! Remember that God cares about you so much more than even that sparrow and that He wants to draw you closely into a safe place of Sanctuary with Him! A place of safety and peace, where you can rest and learn about His love for you, for your family and those dear close friends and perhaps a few lost or weary lonely souls that He has sent to you.

HE HAS MUCH TO TELL YOU REGARDING ALL OF THE PLANS THAT HE HAS FOR YOU!

“Settle into the nest…

…And Rest!”

God is waiting to speak and meet with you!

“The Lowly Sparrow”

~Author Unknown

I am only a little sparrow!

A bird of low degree!

My life is of little value.

But the dear Lord cares for me

He gave me a coat of feathers

'Tis very plain I know:

With never a speck of crimson.

For it was not made for show.

But it keeps me warm in winter,

It shields me from the rain.

Were it bordered with gold and purple

Perhaps it would make me vain

I have no barn or storehouse:

I never sow or reap:

God gives me a sparrow's portion.

But never a seed to keep.

If my meat is sometimes scanty.

Close picking makes it sweet:

I have always enough to keep me.

And life is more than meat.

I know there are many sparrows:

All over the world they're found:

But our heavenly Father knows

When one of us falls to the ground.

Though small, we are never forgotten-

Though weak, we are never afraid.

For we know that the dear Lord keeps

The lives of the creatures He made.

I fly through the thickest forest,

I light on many a spray,

I have no chart or compass,

But I never lose my way.

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Thank You!

Copyright  2012 " THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow

www.marylindow.com