How God feeds the birds

September 9, 2026

Maria Matthew 6, God's Provision, God's creation , Leave a comment

“Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?”

— Matthew 6:26 (NLT)

September is peak season at the Cochrane hummingbird feeder. Right now, I’m making two pints of sugar water almost every single day just to keep up!

It wasn’t always this bustling. We started the summer with a single, faithful returnee. That energetic little bird was joined by a companion in July. By early August, a third, hesitant visitor started showing up—though he clearly didn’t trust us yet. But today, on September 9th, a lively crew of 11 or 12 birds are constantly dive-bombing, playing, and refueling at our porch.

This morning, Jesus’ familiar words about the birds of the air took on a new depth. Instead of thinking about our own need to trust Him for provision, I found myself marveling at how He actually delivers that provision to these tiny creatures.

While reading about National Hummingbird Day, Mike mentioned that some humming birds will soon embark on a 500-mile, non-stop flight to their winter homes in Mexico. To survive the journey, they must feast constantly to build up crucial layers of fat.

That’s when it hit me: Mike and I are part of how the Lord is feeding these birds.

He has entrusted us with the sacred privilege of ministering to this little flock. Feeling a quiet sense of awe at His invitation to tend creation, we are grateful for our small role in helping these resilient travelers reach their destination safely.

Wherever the Lord guides them to winter, we’re looking forward to welcoming them back in the spring.

Which one of the 10 servants are you?

November 3, 2017

Maria Kingdom of God, Luke 19, Service, Work , , , , , Leave a comment

My time!

My rights!

My agenda!

My priorities!

My money!

My day!

My needs!

If I’m honest, this is how I think more often than I’d like to admit.  I know, in my head, that this thinking is not only false but wicked.  After all, I am a Christian. That means I was bought with a price – Jesus’ blood.  The Godhead swapped His life for mine.  He died so that I could live, but not live ‘business as usual’.

I KNOW this, but functionally I still think of these days and years in this body as belonging to me.

But the Father is gentle and continues to press His Truth into me through daily Bible reading.  As He did yesterday with Luke’s account of the ten servants and the money entrusted to them.  Here’s the first part of Jesus’ parable:

Luke 19: 11-15 The Parable of the Ten Minas

While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

“But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’

 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.

**

As the parable continues, the newly crowned king returned and immediately called for an accounting of resources entrusted to each of the ten servants in his absence.  Three men’s interviews are described.  Servants 1 & 2 had put the king’s resource to good use and turned a profit for him.  They received commendation and were invited to take on new jobs under the recently crowned king, each one with proportionally greater responsibility.  Clearly, they had proven their dependency and faithfulness. The third guy rather foolishly expressed his unfavorable and distorted view of the king as mean, hard, and demanding.  Out of fear, this steward had held on to the king’s money and had not put it to good use as instructed.

The king announces severe consequences and this man is carted off.

What got me thinking was the absence of any mention of the other seven servants.  What about them?  Did they simply squander the king’s money?  Did they abscond with it, fleeing from the kingdom?  I know that parables usually have one main teaching point. We should not, therefore, read too much into them.  But the actions of these seven unmentioned stewards have stimulated my imagination.

But more helpful than finding out how the story might have ended is reflecting on how to apply Jesus’ principles to me.

I want to be one of the two trusted servants.

I want to receive Jesus’ commendation and to know that I did what He wanted and that I pleased Him.

If that is my heart’s desire, then the first step is the sobering fact that this is NOT my life.

The parable simply put is about Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and departure to be crowned King.  The majority of the stewards, the Jewish people, did NOT want Jesus as their king.

If we take the numbers as an indication for today, then 20 % of those who know about Jesus believe Him and serve Him with gladness and faithfulness.  And they will be rewarded when He returns with newer, more challenging and fulfilling work in the new Kingdom.

Is it too far-fetched to consider THIS ENTIRE life on earth as a training ground in being a faithful servant in the Kingdom of God?  A life-long course in stewardship?  And if that is so, then nothing my hands touch is mine.  It all belongs to Him.  So what kind of questions should guide my daily, hourly thinking about the things He has entrusted to me?

For starters, something like: How best do I use this extra money?  How best shall I use the ‘free time’ I see in today’s schedule?  How best can I perform the job with which God has entrusted me this day?

May I be found faithful not only when the King returns but this very hour.