His Eye is on the Sparrow
Handmade stationary from goodandsaltypaper.com
I am self-quarantined after traveling at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I sense the growing anxiety in our world; the overwhelming questions of what these future days will hold are reason enough to melt into an epidemic of worry and panic as contagious as the virus itself.
With the gift of Spring, though, the lock-down weight doesn’t feel as heavy. I sit at my corner bedroom desk, window open, and let nature’s evening lullaby serenade me with a dozen distinct chirps and trills. I have caught glimpses of fire-red cardinals sweeping through the sky and auburn-chested robins pecking at the ground. They delight in the day and lead me to do the same.
Even before the Coronavirus outbreak, the birds had already been serving as a small mercy to me. One of the strongest yearnings (idols?) of my heart is to be taken care of. I don’t love wading into my late twenties alone and uncertain. God, do you hear me? I know you do, but…can I trust you to respond?
The past few years, that plea has been the brushstroke painting my prayers. The lonely unknowing can be paralyzing, but Jesus is Lord over those fears. As He teaches in the Sermon on the Mount,
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? -Matthew 6:26
Last month, I stumbled upon Audrey Assad’s song “Sparrow”. Based on this verse in Matthew, it resonated with me deeply:
“Why should I be lonely, Long for heaven and home
When Jesus is my portion And a constant Friend I know
I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free
For His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He's watching me”
After worshiping through this song one morning, the Lord kept reinforcing throughout that day the truth of how much He cares for us and how He has already brought us freedom:
He reminded me through my roommates’ Valentine’s Day stationary framed in our living room. Decorated with ornate porcelain China sparrows, it reads You are beyond precious to me.
He showed me in poster putty I mashed together as I removed some signs on the office walls...that just morphed into a bird model.
Walking my dog, I heard the neighborhood birdsong in a way I had previously been deaf to.
What?!
Listen to me. Lean into me. I’m holding you, and I won’t let go.
In the wake of the Coronavirus spreading across the country, Jesus’ message of value for me has taken on new meaning. I’m not just concerned about loneliness. In the disruption of routine and business operations, I’m wondering about my job description (and security) and how long we’ll have to slog this out. Many of you probably feel the same hailstorm of scary, unanswerable questions.
Perhaps the birds can help us, modeling how to take each day as its own gift, listening to the Lord and trusting his faithfulness and provision. God hears us. He values us. He LOVES us. His eye is on the sparrow. It’s certainly on us, His treasured children, too.
