Late fall, we hung up a bird feeder in front of our living room window in anticipation of bird-watching this winter. I thought my grandson, who loves anything that moves, would especially enjoy watching the birds come and go. A great idea in theory, but for some reason the birds haven't been flocking in for a free meal. I thought maybe getting a foot of snow would bring them in, but no luck. I checked to see if the feeder was still filled with seed, and it was, but then I noticed all the big black seeds were gone while plenty of the other kinds of seeds remained.
Seriously? You don't want to eat my birdseed because there aren't any black ones?
You'd rather forage for food under a foot of snow than eat anything other than a black seed?
Ugh! Here I am, trying to be nice...
You'd rather forage for food under a foot of snow than eat anything other than a black seed?
Ugh! Here I am, trying to be nice...
These birds remind me of the Israelites following Moses in the desert. Every day God provided them with manna to eat, but they began to grumble and whine because they didn't want manna. They wanted something else. God wasn't at all pleased with this grumbling attitude. After all, He was providing for all of their needs every day; but rather than focusing on God's provision, the Israelites focused on all the things they didn't have.
Then I recognized myself. (Can I just interject here - I hate it when that happens! Don't get me wrong; I'm grateful that God brings these things to my attention, I had just hoped that at this point in my life there wouldn't be so much of it...)
Maybe you recognize yourself too.
How often do we say "There's nothing to eat" when our pantry contains more food than most people could ever dream of?
How often do we grumble when we must remove certain foods from our diet rather than being grateful for those things we can have?
Why do we focus on what we want, rather than on what we know is good for us?
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ~ 2 Peter 1:3
Father, forgive us for our spirit of ingratitude. Help us to focus not on what we don't or can't have, but instead keep our focus on the many ways You bless and provide for us each and every day. When we're inclined to grumble, remind us that You have given us EVERYTHING we need and help us to put on an attitude of thanksgiving.
Lisa
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Maybe you recognize yourself too.
How often do we say "There's nothing to eat" when our pantry contains more food than most people could ever dream of?
How often do we grumble when we must remove certain foods from our diet rather than being grateful for those things we can have?
Why do we focus on what we want, rather than on what we know is good for us?
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ~ 2 Peter 1:3
Father, forgive us for our spirit of ingratitude. Help us to focus not on what we don't or can't have, but instead keep our focus on the many ways You bless and provide for us each and every day. When we're inclined to grumble, remind us that You have given us EVERYTHING we need and help us to put on an attitude of thanksgiving.
Lisa
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Oh yes, I definitely recognised myself as you wrote about the ungrateful birds. Always wanting more, wanting the thing that I don't have, that I'm convinced that I need, when all I really need is Him.
Thank you for this.
First of all I want to tell you the way you have wrote this is very interesting. I never got bored while reading it. 2nd of all its teaches us a good lesson . “ Why do we focus on what we want, rather than on what we know is good for us?” ending was super great with that question.please keep sharing.