His Eye Is On the Sparrow
Matthew 6:25-27
Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
Upon my arrival in Accra, Ghana, the other ministry team members’ luggage arrived safely, yet not mine. I had a change of underwear in my carryon and my toiletries. That was it. For the next eight days, I wore others’ borrowed clothes, mostly African style. I was taken care of. It was discovered my luggage had been left at Heathrow Airport in London. I love the old hymn, I believe beautifully sung by Ethel Waters, “His Eye is On the Sparrow,” and the line continues on—“and I know He watches over me.” I have thought of it often as we launched our five children, one at a time, to go to college, etc. As I reminisce over those years, it felt like a piece of my heart was going with them. Yet I knew down deep inside that the Holy Spirit actually was going with them and would guide, protect, and provide for them just as He had done for Stephen and I when we headed out for our college in Providence, Rhode Island those many years ago. We only had $100 in our pockets and an iffy Vega car. We made it, found an apartment with a discount for helping around the apartment building with the first month free, purchased our textbooks and found some good part-time jobs. He took care of us. The thought must never leave our minds—God is faithful. He knows our littlest needs. Here’s a question to ponder—why would He not take care of you? If you are anxious, afraid, and doubting, there is a powerful truth in our passage for today we need to hear. God never gives up on us. He never leaves us, or abandons or forsakes us. What we have need of, will be given. He knows our situation and He will provide. We all still need to be reminded of this fact daily. God is the provider of our needs. “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will wear or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.” These were the words of Jesus, Matthew 6:25. Yes, the basic necessities of life will always be there. We can live in a state of constant worry, and this posture will have a huge impact on our peace of mind and our physical health. If all looks good, food in the cupboard and money in the bank, we feel confident, yet if we are living paycheck to paycheck, we often focus just on getting by. He is asking for faith despite our situations of life and what they look like. Remember the widow’s mite. God challenges us to lay down our worry, and our needs at His feet. “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” We truly are in His hands. Let Him prove Himself to you today. May worry hold no power over you, in Jesus’ Name.
What about you? Do you have needs and concerns you need to lay down at Jesus’ feet today, totally surrendering them to Him? Will you take time right down to do just that, releasing it all to Him, and then watch to see what He will do? He loves you so, dear one. How much more does He care for you than even the little sparrow, yet He cares daily for them. You have a blessed stress-free day with your eyes focused on Him.
