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Proof that God does care

Tales from the front pew

Does God really care about us? In times of sorrow or disappointment people sometimes ask that question.

Something happened at my house the other day that illustrated the answer beautifully. It all began with a frantic phone call from my daughter Val.

“Mom, there’s a bird on our back porch!” she said in a panicked voice.

“That’s nice, dear.”

“No, it’s not! It isn’t moving.”

“Is it injured?”

“It doesn’t look hurt, but it doesn’t seem able to fly. It’s just hopping from one chair to another. What should I do?”

“I’ll be home in a few hours,” I told her. “We’ll figure out what to do then. In the meantime, just leave it alone.”

“Okay. Bye.”

One-half hour later Val called again.

“Mom, it still hasn’t left the porch. I tossed some bread to it, but it just seemed scared. Do you think I should put a little bowl of water out in case it gets thirsty?”

“No, honey. Just leave it alone.”

“I’m gonna call Dad. Bye.”

Ten minutes later.

“Mom, Dad said I should just leave it alone.”

“Gee, why didn’t I think of that?”

“This isn’t funny, mother.”

“Val, when your father and I get home we’ll decide what to do.”

A few hours later, Bob and I arrived home to find Val’s feathered friend still on the back porch, but now on the window sill. Evening was looming, and we knew darkness wouldn’t bode well for the vulnerable little creature.

“Mom, I looked online and it said we could put the bird in a shoe box with airholes in the lid and take it inside for the night. That way it’ll be safe from predators.”

“Good grief, Val,” I told her. “We have four cats. Our home is ‘Predator Central.'”

Next, Val called the humane society and was given the number of a local wildlife expert. After Val sent the woman a picture of the bird via her cell phone, she gave our daughter some encouraging information.

“She said it’s a young robin,” Val told us. “It probably wandered from its nest, and the mother bird will likely come back for it. But it’s important that we leave it alone.” (Hmm … now where did I hear that before?)

We were relieved, until we spotted a stray cat sidling up to the porch wearing the same look I get at an “all-you-can-eat-Sundae bar.” Val managed to chase it off, but we knew it would come back.

“Mom, why don’t we pray and ask God to protect it?” Val suggested.

“That’s a great idea, hon.”

We bowed our heads and asked the Lord to keep the bird safe.

A little later, Val called to me. “Mom, come look.”

Sure enough, a large robin was fluttering against the window where the bird had perched.

“That must be mama,” I said. “She’s trying to get it to fly.”

Suddenly, with a “whoosh!” the little bird took off into the sky.

In unison, Val and I shouted, “Thank You, Lord!”

Do we matter to God? If He cared enough to keep a little bird safe, just think how much more He cares for His children.

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