Goldfinch Joy
The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. Psalm 28:7
What joy I get from watching the birds at the feeders! I especially like the yellow and black goldfinch males. They are so colorful! In the fall, their feathers turn a drab brownish grey-green color and they lose their attractive hue, but come springtime, by nature, they are transformed into birds of bright and beautiful hues. (Their beauty is still there but toned down until late winter or early spring.)
Watching them change into their summer garb is fascinating. To me, they bring hope when the local scenery is still brown, muddy, and leafless.
Can we be likened to this unique bird? Do we find ourselves kind of down in the dumps, blue and drab at times? Of course we do! We are human beings and we tend to cycle like seasons. However, we are not birds and therefore have the capacity to think, pray, and respond with confidence.
We all need that sought after assurance! It shows up in different ways like the ground breaking forth with tulips or daffodils. How about the forsythia bushes that show off their robes of eye-catching yellow or the first robin red-breast we spy in late winter? Hope is found in nature every day!
As humans, we often miss those signs. When we hear stories of miracles, rescues, and total change, we are reminded ‘if He did it once, He can do it again.’ The bottom line is this: we long for hope because it keeps us going.
So dear friends, there are significant lessons to be learned from the goldfinch. The season of drabness does not last forever. It is only for a preset amount of time determined by the Creator. They do not get bent out of shape by their appearances. Every single one of them is different. Some change more quickly than others in the spring and some retain their gold late into the fall. They seem to be happy with what they are as they flit from one feeder to the next tweeting and twittering.
They do like to bask in His glorious sunlight!
Loving Father and Creator, thank You for nature and all the lessons we find there. Teach us to be only who You created us to be and be happy in that! AMEN.