When You Worry, Look to the Birds (Matthew 6:25-26) - Your Daily Bible Verse - April 13
Your Daily Bible Verse
Audio By Carbonatix
By Betsy St. Amant Haddox, Crosswalk.com
When You Worry, Look to the Birds
By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” - Matthew 6:25-26 (ESV)
A few weeks ago, I quite randomly decided to walk through a local museum’s beautiful botanical gardens while killing time before school carpool line. I was roaming up the back path to return to my car when I heard a flutter of wings. I noticed a tiny bird inside the tall feeder posted on the side of the path. I paused to consider his plight, and the longer I looked, the quicker I realized he couldn’t get out.
I snapped a picture on my phone and took my cell inside the museum to find him some help. The whole staff was puzzled as to how the little guy got in there in the first place, and immediately went on a staff-wide texting craze to find the gardener to go get him out. They thanked me profusely for taking the time to tell them and sprang into action. But all I could think about was how God cares for the sparrows—and the Gardener comes to set us free.
I left the museum in tears. Perhaps someone would have seen the little bird later and done the same thing I did—but God used me to notice, because you know what? I really needed that reminder.
The Bible is full of the command not to worry, not to be anxious…and I fail at that regularly. I’m an author, so my imagination churns 24/7 and can conjure up some great plots that are perfect for fiction, but somewhat terrifying to apply to real life! It’s a battle to control the “what-if’s” and the “if-not’s” and the “now-what’s” of my heart and mind. But this command not to worry from the Lord isn’t harsh, it’s assuring. It’s comforting. He’s reminding us that worry is pointless—not because we’re all doomed and can’t do anything about it, because He’s in charge. Because He watches over the birds and provides for them, and He will do the same for us.
Provision doesn’t always come in the form we expect. I’m pretty certain that little bird didn’t expect a brunette in her 30’s with a cell phone to save him. If anything, I’d imagine he expected to be able to work his own way back out. But he couldn’t. Only the Gardener held the key to freedom.
The same is true in our life. We can’t work and strive our way out of worry and anxiety. Frantically flapping our wings (or our mouths!) won’t free us. Neither will denial or insisting that we’re fine, we’re not trapped.
Only the Gardener can set us free.
If you’re worrying today, about the plight of our nation or the amount in your bank account or the state of your child’s heart or the condition of your marriage, please remember—do not be anxious. Turn your worry into prayers and wait for the Gardener! It might be a little uncomfortable in the meantime, and the rescue might not look exactly like you anticipated, but He’ll come. He always comes.
Worry? It’s for the birds.
Reflect on today’s verse with us. Share your thoughts in the Your Daily Bible Verse discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo credit: ©Getty Image/photoguns
Betsy St. Amant Haddox is the author of over twenty romance novels and novellas. She resides in north Louisiana with her hubby, two daughters, an impressive stash of coffee mugs, and one furry Schnauzer-toddler. Betsy has a B.A. in Communications and a deep-rooted passion for seeing women restored to truth. When she’s not composing her next book or trying to prove unicorns are real, Betsy can be found somewhere in the vicinity of an iced coffee. She is a regular contributor to iBelieve.com and offers author coaching and editorial services via Storyside LLC.
Related Resource: The Bible Explained - Read More of The Bible This Year!
Reading the Bible shouldn't be a chore; it should be fun! Grab your cup of coffee and tune in to The Bible Explained Podcast, where Jenn Kokal explains the Bible in a simplistic, approachable way. Each weekday morning, you will hear Jenn read and discuss Scripture in a way that you (probably) have never experienced before. Touted by many listeners as "The best Bible-reading podcast out there," you won't regret tuning in, especially if you are looking to deepen your knowledge about the Bible. Jenn's goal is to present the Bible straightforwardly, utilizing biblical cross-references, ancient history, and the Hebrew/Greek languages.
