THE BIRDS, THE BEAUTY, THE RESILIENCE OF BELIEVERS
Be as a bird perched on a frail branch
that she feels bending beneath her.
still she sings away
all the same,
knowing that she has wings.
--Victor Hugo
Two birds were singing the
most beautiful duet; I was about to record it, and the world went quiet. I
looked up, and floating overhead was a predator—some kind of raptor. All movement
and sound stopped while the raptor circled, at first not that far away, but
soon after, the circle expanded, and the bird floated higher into the sky until
I couldn’t see it anymore. About twenty minutes went by, and the sparrows began
a new song, a hummingbird reappeared, and a tiny silent vireo landed on an aloe
flower for a sip. Not the same as before the predator, but beautiful none the
less. The early Spring sun is starting its descent, and the mulberry tree is
smoking, a bit late this year.
Some of us don’t exist
well for long periods without some beauty to intrude and interlace with the
sorrow we experience in everyday life. Our God, our creator, know this and
continues to provide what we need most.
Today I looked at and read
about Raphael’s preparatory paintings for ten larger paintings called “The Acts
of the Apostles.” It was beauty and wonder for my soul. Tomorrow I go for a
two-hour trail ride, my own private heaven on earth.
Today I changed where my table
is on my patio. It changed my viewpoint so that I could see all the amazing flowers,
plants, birds, and natural wonders God’s given me.
We are never defeated! The
resilience of God’s people is a response to His love and concern. I spent time
today reading the story in Acts 13, one of Rafael’s paintings for his Acts of
the Apostles series. In this Biblical record, a few of the Lord’s Apostles went
to the island of Cyprus. The ruler of Cyprus wanted to know more about Jesus
Christ, but there was a false prophet there who wanted to turn the leader away
from the real truth, but it didn’t work.
“And when they [the Apostles] had gone through
the isle [Cyprus] unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet,
a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus: which was with the deputy [ruler] of
the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul,
and desired to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his
name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from
the faith.”
“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,)
filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, and said, ‘O full of all
subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy
of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the
Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou
shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.’ And immediately there fell on
him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the
hand.
“Then the deputy, when he saw what was done,
believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. (Acts 13:6-12).
So, everything went well, and off the Apostles
went and stopped in Antioch, which is in present-day Turkey. They taught the Jews
first about the true God of the Bible and about Jesus Christ, and many Jews
believed and:
“The next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to
hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled
with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul,
contradicting and blaspheming.
“Then
Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, ‘It was necessary that the word of God
should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge
yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.’” (Acts
13:44-46).
“And
when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the
Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word
of the Lord was published throughout all the region” (vv. 47-49).
So, Paul and Barnabas blasted the
Jews and spoke to the Gentiles, who responded to the truth. But then the Jews got
so angry, they stirred up the celebrity women and the well-known leaders of the
city and ran Paul and Barnabas out!
What was their reaction—not disappointment,
anger, or revenge—but joy?
“They shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto
Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost”
(vv. 51-52).
That’s what it means to be a spiritually
mature person. We see things differently. We never fail. If we’ve helped one
person to believe the truth, we rejoice! We are like the bird; we may be
sitting on the bending branch, but we keep singing. We know we can and will
fly, thanks to our God, our creator, and thanks to His son Jesus Christ, who
leads and guides us through our every day.
Love, Carolyn
THE BIRDS, THE BEAUTY, THE
RESILIENCE OF BELIEVERS
Be as a bird perched on a frail branch
that she feels bending beneath her.
still she sings away
all the same,
knowing that she has wings.
--Victor Hugo
Two birds were singing the
most beautiful duet; I was about to record it, and the world went quiet. I
looked up, and floating overhead was a predator—some kind of raptor. All movement
and sound stopped while the raptor circled, at first not that far away, but
soon after, the circle expanded, and the bird floated higher into the sky until
I couldn’t see it anymore. About twenty minutes went by, and the sparrows began
a new song, a hummingbird reappeared, and a tiny silent vireo landed on an aloe
flower for a sip. Not the same as before the predator, but beautiful none the
less. The early Spring sun is starting its descent, and the mulberry tree is
smoking, a bit late this year.
Some of us don’t exist
well for long periods without some beauty to intrude and interlace with the
sorrow we experience in everyday life. Our God, our creator, know this and
continues to provide what we need most.
Today I looked at and read
about Raphael’s preparatory paintings for ten larger paintings called “The Acts
of the Apostles.” It was beauty and wonder for my soul. Tomorrow I go for a
two-hour trail ride, my own private heaven on earth.
Today I changed where my table
is on my patio. It changed my viewpoint so that I could see all the amazing flowers,
plants, birds, and natural wonders God’s given me.
We are never defeated! The
resilience of God’s people is a response to His love and concern. I spent time
today reading the story in Acts 13, one of Rafael’s paintings for his Acts of
the Apostles series. In this Biblical record, a few of the Lord’s Apostles went
to the island of Cyprus. The ruler of Cyprus wanted to know more about Jesus
Christ, but there was a false prophet there who wanted to turn the leader away
from the real truth, but it didn’t work.
“And when they [the Apostles] had gone through
the isle [Cyprus] unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet,
a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus: which was with the deputy [ruler] of
the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul,
and desired to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his
name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from
the faith.”
“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,)
filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, and said, ‘O full of all
subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy
of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the
Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou
shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.’ And immediately there fell on
him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the
hand.
“Then the deputy, when he saw what was done,
believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. (Acts 13:6-12).
So, everything went well, and off the Apostles
went and stopped in Antioch, which is in present-day Turkey. They taught the Jews
first about the true God of the Bible and about Jesus Christ, and many Jews
believed and:
“The next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to
hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled
with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul,
contradicting and blaspheming.
“Then
Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, ‘It was necessary that the word of God
should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge
yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.’” (Acts
13:44-46).
“And
when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the
Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word
of the Lord was published throughout all the region” (vv. 47-49).
So, Paul and Barnabas blasted the
Jews and spoke to the Gentiles, who responded to the truth. But then the Jews got
so angry, they stirred up the celebrity women and the well-known leaders of the
city and ran Paul and Barnabas out!
What was their reaction—not disappointment,
anger, or revenge—but joy?
“They shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto
Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost”
(vv. 51-52).
That’s what it means to be a spiritually
mature person. We see things differently. We never fail. If we’ve helped one
person to believe the truth, we rejoice! We are like the bird; we may be
sitting on the bending branch, but we keep singing. We know we can and will
fly, thanks to our God, our creator, and thanks to His son Jesus Christ, who
leads and guides us through our every day.
Love, Carolyn
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