Month: May 2021

There’s a tree next to our porch that’s home to a mama robin and her little ones. The other day I sat outside and listened to her calling.  It was so persistent, I eventually looked up to see what all the fuss was about.  She sat on a branch with a bit of bug hanging from her beak and calling to her little ones – Here I am; come to me!

Earlier this spring, we had the opportunity to watch up close as a different mama bird built her nest.  She chose a wreath against a window for her new home, which meant we could peek in and keep tabs on her little ones. It wasn’t the quietest place; whenever we opened the door, or turned on the light, or entered the room, she flew away.  

Here’s the thing.  If a bird, who will abandon her nest at the slightest threat, will patiently and persistently call her children to her, how much more is our Father patiently calling to us?  Here I am; come to me!  I have something good for you.  

He will not abandon us.  He will not forsake us.  He has already endured great danger and defeated every enemy in order to rescue us.  He has something good “in His beak” – ready to give to us, if we will only come to Him to receive it.

God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.  
2 Timothy 1:9

I have four wonderful, passionate kids.  That means there can be lots of feelings floating around our house on any given day. Sometimes it’s like being in the middle of a storm.  And one thing I’ve come to understand as a result is that our hearts are easily motivated by feelings, but those feelings rarely stick around for long.  Over the course of 10 minutes we can feel love, sorrow, happiness, anger.  Feelings are more changeable than the weather.  In fact, they are the weather of our souls.

When we’re happy, all is sunshine and light.  And when we’re under pressure, sad, or angry, everything grows dark and stormy.  The feeling is real, the experience is real, it’s just not forever.  And the truth is that feelings have a very short lifespan and no brains at all.  I wouldn’t want something like that in charge of driving my car, much less in charge of my life.

So what are we to do with our feelings?  Ignore them?  Tuck them away?  No, I think we’re meant to feel them, and then put them in their proper place.  Feelings enhance our experience of life, but feelings can’t run our lives – what kind of foundation would that be? Anything built on them will never last.  

Our culture puts a lot of stress on evaluating how something makes us feel.  This usually just exacerbates our negative feelings because it puts us at the center of a situation in which we already feel powerless or inadequate.  We need something outside ourselves, greater than ourselves, to help us weather the storm.  We need to turn our focus to the things that will not change – we are beloved by God. He will not quit, back down, walk out or give up. His steadfast love and mercy have no end. He invites us to bring our negative, unpleasant feelings to Him. He holds our hand through the storm and says, Yes, I know how that hurt.  I am angry, too.  That wasn’t right.  He acknowledges our pain.  He comforts us.  He gives us fresh hope that things won’t always be this way.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.  Revelation 21:4

Actually, I think it’s possible for our feelings to water our faith and help it to grow.  You see, faith comes into play precisely when our circumstances call for doubt, when our feelings are in turmoil.  Our feelings can only feel things.  But faith is a choice.  It involves an act of the will.  It chooses trust in God’s promises in spite of all evidence to the contrary.  Faith has the power to shelter and guide us through life’s storms.