“Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds” (Matt 6:26)
Sunday morning, as the winter storm blew towards us, I loaded the car from a visit to my aunt’s. Robins chirped over the backyard fence, maybe they were just calling hello in their own grocery-store rush. Two geese, racing in tandem, honked back and forth, racing? playing tag? Were they taking advantage of the calm before the storm – or preparing?
careless in the care of God
The ice didn’t come until I was home in my own nest, with my own chicks, wrapped in my own feathers. Most people are tired of this old snow. Me? We really haven’t had any. I keep telling people, Moses is standing at our western county line. When the snow clouds come, he parts them like the Red Sea.
I love snow – but it only dusts. Last night, though, water fell wrapping everything in a sheet of ice.
Diamond glitter is deceptive, dangerous – and it encased my world – red buds, dog wood buds, even the bird nests.
The birds, though, hopped around, on one foot then another across the icy grass. No complaining about the cold. No complaining about nests in the ice trees.
living the daily, even the ice-storm-kind-of-daily free and unfettered
I woke early, wanting to find God’s love letter in it. Stepping out my door, the birch creaking with the icy burden, limbs snapping to the ground. An icy mist filmed my face.
wanting to connect with God, to answer His call with the uniqueness of my own voice He put within me – to let that voice connect with Him before I left to work where I am planted, where the job description allows only a portion of who I am
these birds not tied to a job description – me striving not to be
and I need to soar in the knowledge – the living, flying, spirit-filled knowledge – that He counts me more important
more important than these birds – careless in the care of God
Give your cares to me, He says, as I meet Him – let my kingdom be your nest for shelter, nurturing, protecting and refreshing – where you can soar, fly, race, sing, swap word-songs at fence-post gatherings
So many people avoid God – thinking living for Him is limiting, oppressive or confining. It’s not, though. God is liberating. God’s Kingdom works in direct contrast with the world. It’s an Opposite Day kind of thing.
“Opposite Day, when slow means fast, when pink means blue, huggable means squirmmy, when sacrifice means gain.
The universe has order – God made it so – how our blood flows, how my grandmother’s coffee cake bakes, how cells divide, how coffee brews – it is all orderly process. Yet, what He wants from us is sometimes like an Opposite Day Paradigm.
To give ourselves up – our dreams, our hearts, our time, our identity, our dignity – to beggar ourselves until we’re empty with nothing left to give – that is the great deception.
. . . . God’s Opposite Day Paradigm take Sacrifice and turns it into gain. (The Sacrifice of Opposite Day Things)
Liberate your soul! Give yourself to Him – and become careless in the care of God!
love this. What a precious way to write… what a gift to think of being careless in the care of God. thanks for the sweet reminder
There’s so much truth in this post, I love it! “God’s Kingdom works in direct contrast with the world.” Yes, and it’s impossible to have one foot in the kingdom and the other in the world. It just doesn’t work. And He is a God of order so when things are messed up I know it’s time to get back to Him.
Love this! God has given us the freedom of choice and will allow us to “go it alone” if we choose. But there is a better way. At the moment we make a choice to humble ourselves and cast our cares, asking Him to help us, He releases His power and we are free to be careless in the care of Him!!! ♥
Blessings sweet friend! Have a joyful and carefree week!
Denise
yes, yes. to be without a care in the world, for He cares for us. deeply. wisely. completely. praise God!
We’ve not had much snow either (of course, that’s as expected), but we have had some bitter, bitter cold this year. It’s nice to know that we too can be careless in the care of God if we’ll adopt that attitude! It’s always my goal; I’m just not always successful. 😉
Thank you for a thought provoking post….the ice is beautiful…and troublesome…good to find good in it. We just had another sleet storm….ready for spring. 🙂
“Give your cares to me, He says, as I meet Him – let my kingdom be your nest for shelter, nurturing, protecting and refreshing – where you can soar, fly, race, sing, swap word-songs at fence-post gatherings” – – love this. Thank you. ~ Nancy
Blue Cotton Memory,
This is lovely– the photos of encasing ice and, most of all, the term “careless in the care of God.” What a reminder of his easy confident care of us.
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
Such beautiful thoughts. While I dislike winter, there is much beauty in it.
Thanks for linking up with Woman to Woman’s Word Filled Wednesday! God bless!