The Same – Yesterday, Today, Forever

I was talking with my friend the other day, when Keith walked over and brought me our kitty, Daisy.  She’d been crying at the back door and wanted to be with me, her “mom”, and to go for a stroll through the garden.  So I took Daisy in my arms, left my friend and started on our little walk. 

As we passed the dolphin fountain I heard a sweet yet strong “peep – peep – peep” and knew there was a baby bird nearby.  I tilted my head to try to discern where the sound was coming from.  A bit concerned, I realized the sound was coming from a low bushy area in that lush garden.  Quickly my eyes fixed on a slight movement, and there to my delight and relief was our resident “baby” hummingbird sitting on a low lilac tree limb. (This is the same little guy I wrote about last week.)  His long beak was open wide and he “peep, peep, peeped” while looking at his mom who sat close to him. Clearly he wanted to be fed.  The mom knew what her youngster wanted but warily watched me as I held a kitty in my arms.  I took a step away from the pair which gave the mom assurance that we wouldn’t be a threat. Satisfied, she turned and fed her young one, who contentedly ate up his mother’s care. 

How long will this continue, I wondered?  How old will this little one be when the mom stops feeding him and caring for his needs?

As I have so often of late, I thought about the care our Heavenly Father has for us; how He wants us to grow strong in Him yet, regardless of age, carries us and feeds us in times of great difficulty.  In the past three days we’ve received news of great sadness that has impacted the lives of several friends and family members: a mom, who had already lost one child, learned that her son had been tragically killed in a bicycle accident; a daughter who unexpectedly lost her mom to a massive stroke; a friend, who had been in ineffective physical therapy for a year and a half, is told she has a mass that has been causing her problems all along; another mom with a child whose choices have led to possible jail time and the conception of an unplanned, unexpected child.

Each one of these dear women is like that young hummer opening its mouth wide, calling out, “Here I am: feed me, please feed me. Oh, Lord how I need You. ” Some of them have walked as servants of the Lord, ministering in His name for many years; some are young in the faith. Yet regardless of how long they have known Him, the Lord hears every cry, sees each tear and cares for all of them tenderly. They are His dear children.  He is with them in the darkness of each situation, providing comfort and peace beyond understanding, working to bring good out of the pain. 

I’ve used this scripture before but it seems so appropriate today.  Cling to these promises today, my dear sisters in the Lord. 

Isaiah 49: 15 – 16a:  “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?  Though she may forget, I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands…”  

Psalm 30:5, “Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning.”