HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW

HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW

I was puttering about in the living room when I heard a small rustling sound coming from the patio. I walked to the dining room and peered out through the French doors and I saw it: a small gold finch sitting on the window ledge. It was breathing rather frantically and one of its wings hung downward while the other was flat against its side. I closed the dog door so that Teddy and Gracie (our two Golden Retrievers) didn’t stop by for an unwelcome visit to the small bird huddled against the window. A moment later the little bird fell off the window ledge to the concrete patio below where it sat breathless against the side of the house. My heart hurried to the Well to talk to the Lord about it.

I found Him at the birdfeeders watching the other gold finches and white crowned sparrows enjoying their fill of thistle seed. I wondered why they didn’t go to the aid of their fallen feathered friend. There were no bird paramedics or tiny first aid kits about, and they just kept eating and chirping, oblivious to what was taking place over on the patio.

I was just about to tell Him about the injured bird when He turned and looked into my eyes (I love it when He does that), and said, “I know.”

But of course He knew! He took me to a place in His Book that talks about this very thing. Why don’t you get your Bible and join us. You’ll find it in Luke 12:6-7

“Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.”

The little gold finch took a couple of tentative hops as we sat watching in companionable silence. I thought of times I had been broken and wounded, perched on ledges of the hurting heart kind. He had held me in His hands and tended my brokenness, healing my hurts. I returned my attention to the gold finch, but he was gone. He’d flown away when I wasn’t looking. My heart looked up and I realized I was in the tender care of my Shepherd. I nestled deep into His presence then and rested and remembered a favorite hymn and sang it quietly. You can sing it too, if you like.

An Original Conversations at the Well

© Copyright by Diana Morgan February 23, 2013 

HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW 

1. Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
   Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
   When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
• Refrain:
  I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
  For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
2. “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
   And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
   Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
3. Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
   When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
   I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

LAW'S SHADOW

THE LAW’S SHADOW

For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year to year, make perfect those who draw near.

Hebrews 10:1 (NASB)

I sat at the Well in the soft shadows of a new day. My brow was scrunched as I read. Somehow it always scrunches when I read Leviticus—something about all that blood from sacrificed animals and the fire of the altar that was to never go out and the priests who made constant intercession for the sins of the people and for themselves—for the priests also were mere men.

The people lived beneath the shadow of the Law which vividly pointed out their guilt. In reading Leviticus I am always struck by the absolute insatiable appetite of the Law which was never satisfied for no one could keep it. The Law revealed the depth of sin; it condemned and demanded endless sacrifice. There weren’t enough animals or blood to pay sins debt once for all.

As I read Leviticus 5, there was a phrase that appeared over and over again: “When they become aware of their sin.” And then, “When any of the people become aware of their guilt.” It is a hard thing indeed when one becomes aware of one’s own sin and guilt. I looked out at the coming dawn and wondered had I lived back then how many animals would have been sacrificed for me. I would have needed an entire ranch of animals. In fact, I’ll bet there would be businesses with people raising animals just for me. I could see the sign in my mind’s eye: ABE’S RANCH OF SACRIFICIAL ANIMALS FOR DIANA MORGAN and in small print: so much sin, not enough animals.

“Those were mere shadows of a better hope.”

His voice thundering in the quietness made me jump a bit.

“Good morning, Lord,” I said, thankful He had come.

We sat talking together. As we talked, the shadows became lower until they hung like fog about my heart. Then, as if He had been waiting for the clouds of the Law to settle in He invited me to walk with Him. As we walked He reminded me that He didn’t come to do away with the Law but to fulfill it. We walked through Bethlehem, and passed the hills of Galilee and a certain hill outside Jerusalem where the spotless Lamb of God had hung in my place. It was there the clouds seemed heaviest and I found myself standing at the foot of the cross..

I closed my eyes and thought I heard, “IT IS FINISHED!” thundering through time and suddenly it began to rain.

The drops were refreshing and my heart looked up at Him in wonder.

“It’s My grace being poured out.”

The grace drops continued to fall, drenching even the deepest recesses of my heart.

He met me then on the other side of the empty tomb and we continued our walk together. He reminded me of a place in Hebrews that spoke of Him: a better hope.

“(For the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:19

We arrived back at my favorite boulder nestled in a quiet corner of the yard and I sat down noting that the clouds had lifted and the sun had risen chasing away the shadows. I turned to say something but He had gone. His Book was open to Romans 5 and I picked it up and read out loud, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (NASB)

I decided to take the words in Romans 5:8 and personalize them. You can do it too, if you like.

“Diana, God demonstrated His own love toward you, in that while you were yet a sinner, I died for you.”

“Oh! Thank You! Thank You! THANK YOU! My overflowing and grateful heart felt like dancing in the light of grace. The clock announced it was time to go and as I headed out the door to meet a world desperate for a better hope and in need of grace, I remembered Jeremiah’s words in Lamentations 3.

 This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him." The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him.

Lamentations 3:21-25 (NASB)

An Original Conversations at the Well

© Copyright by Diana Morgan, February 17, 2013

HEAVEN'S VALENTINE

HEAVEN’S VALENTINE
A valentine arrived today
On the envelope was my name
I opened it and sat down to read
The words igniting true love’s flame

The valentine in my hands
Was in the shape of a cross
The words inside shared with me
Just what this love had cost

“Dear one,” it said, “so long ago
I laid my royal robes down
Said goodbye to my Father
And set aside my crown

“I became flesh and blood,
For you I became small;
My cries echoed through Bethlehem
As I lay in an animal stall.

“The days past and became years
As I grew to be a man;
Staying close to my Father
As I carried out His plan

“Boldly I spoke of my Father’s love
Caring for the oppressed and the weak;
Raising the dead, feeding the hungry
For it was the lost I came to seek

“Though I invited them to be mine
To my words most paid no heed;
They thought they were good enough
For Salvation they saw no need.

“The people gathered shouting out names
And then chanted ‘crucify him’
I was beaten until I no longer looked human
The blood on the pavement telling a story grim.

“The soldiers placed on me a purple robe
Then wove together a crown of thorns
Shoving it deep into my head
Mocking, spitting, hate-filled scorn.

‘They removed the robe but left the thorns
On my bloody shoulders placed a cross of wood,
People lined the dusty road to watch, some wept;
Rulers nodded approval; thinking soon I’d be gone for good

“I again lay down on a bed of wood
But this one a splintered cross
my cries again filled the air
As the pounding of nails echoed redemption’s cost

“Suspended there between heaven and earth,
Heaven’s spotless Lamb spilt blood
Made possible mans reconciliation to God
Repentance and forgiveness found in the cleansing flood

“Three days later in the stillness of dawn
Found the tomb empty just as I’d said,
The angels told the women the joyous news,
‘He’s not here; He’s risen from the dead!’”

Motionless I sat there reading
Remembering how once I was lost
How He’d pursued me through my darkest days
Made me His own and I wept at the cost

As I sat quietly weeping, He drew nearer still
His letter written on my heart line by line
“I gave all I had, bled and died, yes it’s so
To bring forgiveness and make you mine”

I lifted my face to meet His gaze,
In His bottle He gathered my tears.
No longer condemned, forgiven, set free
I’ve been His now for many years.

He didn’t die to make us champions
Or give us fame or bring us wealth
He didn’t come to improve our self-esteem
Or give us better health.

He came to take away our sin
He is the life, the truth, the way
Clothes us in His righteousness
Face to face with Him we’ll be one day.

What must you do to know Him?
Oh, dear one, would you like to know?
Acknowledge your sin, put your trust in Him
He’ll cleanse your heart and make you whole

Oh my friend, do you know Him?
His Word stands unchanged by time
He’s King Jesus, Lord, and Savior
God sent Him for you: Heaven’s Valentine.

An Original Conversations at the Well
© By Diana Morgan, February 16, 2013