It’s just a bird house. It’s 8 inches long, 6 inches wide and 6 inches high to the tip of the roof. It’s black metal with stars cut out on all sides and in several places on the roof to allow candle light (the purpose of the decorative house) to sparkle around the deck in glowing star shapes. Nice touch. Pretty decoration. But this morning it was the site of an all out battle among determined birds.
No less than 7 female house sparrows were attacking one another with the hope, it seemed, to be the occupant of our little black decorative bird house. As I watched, each of the sparrows flapped, swooped, pecked, chirped, perched and stretched out menacingly to threaten away any would be squatters for the right to nest in the bird house. One problem though, as each sparrow fluttered around the ledge on the house, none could get in. You see, each star that permitted light from the candle to filter out was covered by a metal mesh screen spot welded on the inside of the structure to prohibit birds from getting in. No amount of hopping, pecking, straining or pushing would allow even one of the birds to find a nesting home. As I watched, with not a little bit of curiosity, an applicative thought crossed my mind.
We can scurry about, spiritually speaking, trying in vain to seek a resting place for our souls. We can try all kinds of methods to gain entrance into God’s rest but only find frustration because we neglect the One means by which His rest is won. He said Himself through Jesus, ‘Come to Me all you who are weak and heavy burdened and I will give you rest’. Matthew 11:28f. Blessed offer. Gracious invitation. Mercy extended. But…
His offer is not a ‘carte blanche’ admission. It’s only offered to those who have concluded that they have no other plea than the plea of Jesus. So many live life seemingly content to live as if they could purchase, provide, produce or procure rest in some other means than that of Jesus. But that’s just pride talking. They try power, popularity, pleasure and possessions to provide contented rest. But, usually, attempting to get on top of the world to find rest only gives the world space to get on top of you with its frustrating postponements, broken promises and its empty delivery;
The humble heart, the type God seeks, lives convinced that ‘nothing in my hands I bring, solely to thy cross I cling’. They are the ones that find rest. They are the ones that find no barriers to access to the throne of grace. They are the ones that find rest.
How are you seeking Him today? The little birds teach us that we come on the basis of His grace and never in the strength and virtue of our own lives.