My mom loved hummingbirds. She had two feeders on her patio and she would watch the little birds come, get a drink and then fly away. She even began to recognize certain birds and was tickled to see them return each day. I read a story about another owner of a hummingbird feeder who enjoyed seeing the little birds come each day. There were so many that they had to refill the feeder each day! And then they said that they suddenly
stopped coming. Hardly any birds came back, and the feeder only needed to be refilled every week. The owner of the feeder said that finally they discovered what was happening. Apparently, there was a male hummingbird who had taken possession of the feeder and would sit and watch and chase away any other hummingbird that tried to eat. The only time that any other bird could even come close to the feeder was when the male was chasing another bird away. The problem for this small bird was that this was all he could do. He just sat in a tree and guarded this one feeder. Other birds could come and go but he forced himself to stay rooted in one place to guard his possession. He sacrificed his liberty to be a free-flying hummingbird just to possess this bird feeder for himself. He was no longer what his creator had meant him to be. Jesus wants us to be all that we were created to be also. But how that comes about sounds absolutely crazy to most of humanity. He said that we needed to come after him…but we needed to take up our cross and follow him. Because if we tried to save our own lives will lose it. But if we are willing to stop standing guard over what we declare are our own possessions, people and purposes…that there we would find freedom in him. Jesus said “If the son sets you free, your will be free indeed.” That means that in Christ you will find the freedom to be all that you were created to be, for this life and for eternity. Quit standing guard over the things of this life that you fear you might lose…and let this Jesus of the Bible set you free to be the you that you were always meant to be. And that freedom is only found in following him. Quit guarding the stuff and go follow the savior! Here’s our Bible verse for today…
Mark 8:34-36 BSB Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. (35) For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it. (36) What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ
stopped coming. Hardly any birds came back, and the feeder only needed to be refilled every week. The owner of the feeder said that finally they discovered what was happening. Apparently, there was a male hummingbird who had taken possession of the feeder and would sit and watch and chase away any other hummingbird that tried to eat. The only time that any other bird could even come close to the feeder was when the male was chasing another bird away. The problem for this small bird was that this was all he could do. He just sat in a tree and guarded this one feeder. Other birds could come and go but he forced himself to stay rooted in one place to guard his possession. He sacrificed his liberty to be a free-flying hummingbird just to possess this bird feeder for himself. He was no longer what his creator had meant him to be. Jesus wants us to be all that we were created to be also. But how that comes about sounds absolutely crazy to most of humanity. He said that we needed to come after him…but we needed to take up our cross and follow him. Because if we tried to save our own lives will lose it. But if we are willing to stop standing guard over what we declare are our own possessions, people and purposes…that there we would find freedom in him. Jesus said “If the son sets you free, your will be free indeed.” That means that in Christ you will find the freedom to be all that you were created to be, for this life and for eternity. Quit standing guard over the things of this life that you fear you might lose…and let this Jesus of the Bible set you free to be the you that you were always meant to be. And that freedom is only found in following him. Quit guarding the stuff and go follow the savior! Here’s our Bible verse for today…
Mark 8:34-36 BSB Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. (35) For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it. (36) What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ