When the swallows fly
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 (ESV)
Birds can be seen everywhere. They can fly, climb, run, swim, dive, whistle, sing, chirp, screech, call, scream, whistle, hoot, chant, and play music together. They can also speak and count to seven; they can dance and imitate, deceive, locate and orient themselves, build, and even lay eggs.
These animals are given to us humans as a clue.
Even the stork in the heavens knows her times, and the turtledove, swallow, and crane[1] keep the time of their coming, but my people know not the rules of the Lord. Jeremiah 8:7 (ESV)
They know their time. They are created with an instinct: a natural drive, an innate ability. They live according to the order determined for them.
1. The swallow symbol of migratory birds
In summer, whether during the day or in the evening, we see the swallows in restless flight, scurrying over houses, flying around church towers or gliding along waterways.
On a beautiful September morning, they gather and sit in long black rows on the power lines, as if waiting for some sign. Some behave restlessly. Stragglers join the group and the air is filled with their twittering.
Suddenly the whole flock takes to the skies, turns south with loud wing beats and disappears into the blue sky. They migrate from Europe to Africa at a time when a season begins there that corresponds to our spring. Once there, they share the food with the African bird species.
Then, in the first days of March, a migration unrest sets in again, which initiates the migration home to Europe.
Once here, they settle in their old breeding grounds that they built the previous year. Or in which they themselves grew up.
The swallows migrate in the autumn - why? The decisive factor is the type of food: as soon as autumn approaches, the number of insects decreases and disappears completely when the winter cold sets in.
The swallows have no choice but to leave their usual place in order to survive and preserve the bird species.
2. How do God’s people behave?
We should take note of what is written in God's Word and what His will is. Listen to God's Word and do it.
Even the stork in the heavens knows her times, and the turtledove, swallow, and crane[1] keep the time of their coming, but my people know not the rules of the Lord. Jeremiah 8:7 (ESV)
3. Our purpose
God created birds for man's joy and to praise God. Animals fulfill their purpose. We too should perceive what is happening around us, we should learn.
God did not give man an instinct, but a will and feeling: body, soul and spirit. Man is placed above animals, but how does he react?
In Psalm 148:11-12, the poet calls on every age group of man to praise the Lord together. The old should help the young with their life experiences. The young should inspire the old to sing. Everyone takes part in this powerful and magnificent oratorio. Not a single one is dispensable. We are destined to praise God.
Let's not miss the eternal home
Birds are created with an instinct and know where their home is and when the time to fly begins!
- Believers have the word of God: “and are guided into all truth.”
- They have Jesus Christ, who said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
- And who asked his Father: “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, that they may see my glory.”
According to John 17:24
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2. Peter 3:9
(ESV)
Do we want to see God's glory?
Soon it will be time to leave. Then we will be with Jesus forever, who bought and redeemed us with his blood.
Author: Egon Waechter
AI-Images 1,3,4: https://www.bing.com/images/create
Image 2: https://unsplash.com/de
Image 5: https://pixabay.com/de/
