KEY #SB3: OVERHEARD IN AN ORCHARD

I'd like to share an old poem my mother hung on the wall of our home when I was a child.  Now it hangs on the wall by the door in my office, where I can give it a glance when I venture in or out.


"OVERHEARD IN AN ORCHARD" by Elizabeth Cheney  
"Said the Robin to the Sparrow:
'I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.'
Said the Sparrow to the Robin:
'Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me."

In Matthew 10:29, Jesus talks about the sparrows:  "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent?  and yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father."
Jesus continues to assure us in the next two verses, 30 and 31:  "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Therefore do not fear: you are of more value than many sparrows."


Isn't that amazing?  God cares so much about me that He even knows exactly how many hairs I have on my head at any given time!  I don't even care how many I have, as long as they are plentiful.  Which, I confess, it getting to be more of a concern as I grow older.  :o)
Let's take that example a bit further.
God cares more about me than I care about myself!
God cares more about you than you even care about yourself!
I also confess that I struggle with anxiety and fear, which I realize very well has no place in the life of a Christian.  Although I do trust God with my life and the lives of my loved ones, as time passes, I am made more and more aware of the suffering and tragedies that even come to the lives of godly people.  But . . . on the other hand, I am privileged to see personally and hear more of God's interventions, even miraculously, in the circumstances of His beloved children!  Which brings me to a stronger faith in the realization that, as we learned last week from the song, "This is My Father's World," God is the One in charge.  God is the authority, the One who holds the world together and keeps our earth in orbit.  As my daddy used to say, "He (God) is the Boss!"  And because "God is Love," I remind myself that He is very much aware and involved with every situation I find myself in, whether joyful or troubling . . .    whether encouraging or heartbreaking.
Because of His love and power, I can trust Him to only allow as much suffering as is necessary for my spiritual growth and my eternal future life.
In the words of the above poem,  there IS a "Heavenly Father such as cares for you and me."
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:6-7
"Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."  I Peter 5:7
God cares tenderly for all of His creation . . . and especially for you . . . and for me.