The Sparrow.

The sparrow.  So small and insignificant to our daily lives. We don't think of these animals on a daily basis unless provoked by what we see. To say these animals are meaningless to our daily experiences is an understatement. There is so much beauty here isn't there? From the beautiful colors in the feathers to even the flight pattern of this creature, it has been perfectly constructed.  Certainly the creator of this was paying attention to every detail of every part of this bird.

Now we think about the people we care about most, and at the thought of losing one of them, just the thought, brings out tears.  These people are so precious to us. They carry so much value in our eyes.

There is a styling of scripture in the Gospel of Matthew that has captured my heart. Jesus is in the process of instructing his disciples to go out to and do miracles for the Jew.  He has just finished telling them that they will see opposition and will be called worse for who the serve. In the midst of this, in a poetic Jesus way, He stops instructing and brings a word of encouragement. It reads:

"What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows."- Matthew 10:29-31

Two of the things I take out of these 3 verses change the way I hang my head.  The first is this, that my God is always watching. That nothing is unseen. It all falls under the watchful eyes of the Father.  The second is this, that we are valuable and precious to God. For me, and I am sure for others out there, failure and sin cause me to devalue myself. It makes me feel worthless and undeserving of Jesus.  A good friend always tells me this, "Its a good thing its not about what you deserve." Isn't that the truth? That in the midst of my failure, there is a Father that treasures me and calls me child and has value on my life.

The image of a sparrow is one that is now ingrained into my mind as a visual representation of what I worth in the eyes of God.  That every hair is numbered? There is so much detail from every molecule of every component that makes me up; there is a God that cares about every detail of my life.

There is this word, Abba, used by Paul in Romans and by Jesus to describe the Father in Heaven.  This is an Aramaic word that is different than just saying father, its a more intimate expression.  It would correlate best with 'daddy' or 'papa'. Its a term of endearment... This helps us draw the conclusion that our Abba, our Daddy, is not a far of God.  It helps us understand that he cares and that we hold value and are precious in his eyes.

My prayer for those that are reading this and feel like their life is meaningless or that they aren't worth more than dirt, is that you would look to a God that shines his light on you.  I pray that you would know that He heals the brokenhearted and uses the weak to lead the strong. I pray that you know that the most secure and fulfilling place is in the arms of the Creator that gave His son so that you may have everlasting life. If you are in need of encouragement or truth, seek it out in scripture or from someone you know. Lastly, just know that you are cared about and that you do matter and that God has created you for GOOD and to prosper, just open your heart to True Love.