Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Provision

Birds find nooks and crannies in your house,
Sparrows and swallows make nests there.
They lay their eggs and raise their young,
Singing their songs in the place where we worship.
God-of-the-Angel-Armies! King! God!
How blessed they are to live and sing there!
PSALM 84:3-4 (THE MESSAGE)

Over the past month, I have been observing a Hummingbird build its nest in our backyard Madagascar Palm tree where Jan and I sit enjoying our morning coffee and time with God. The Madagascar Palm has very sharp cactus like spines on its trunk. Watching her build her nest was amazing! She actually built her nest among and on the sharp spines to support and strengthen her nest!

As I‘ve watched this unbelievable miracle of nature – the amazing work of God’s hand, I was reminded of the passage in Scripture where Jesus says,

“Look at the birds, free and unfettered,
Not tied down to a job description,
Careless in the care of God.
And you count far more to him than birds!”
MATTHEW 6:26 (THE MESSAGE)

Did you hear that? We count far more to God than the birds! Watching this serves as a reminder to me – especially when I find myself worrying and struggling with my life issues and the uncertainty of the future. I can trust God to take care of me just as He cares for the Hummingbird providing all that was needed to build that little nest and the food she will provide when her little babies hatch!

How much more will He provide for you and me! It may not be what we asked for but it will always be what we need. We can be anxious for nothing! We can even be assured that sometimes the sharp spines that we unwillingly experience in our lives can provide us with a foundation of strength upon which we can build our future – just as the sharp spines provided a foundation of strength for the Hummingbird’s nest!

Father, thank you for bringing this little Hummingbird into our lives! Thank you for your reality, initiative and provision!

“Steep your life in God-reality, God initiative, God-provisions.
Don’t worry about missing out.
You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now,
And don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow.
God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up
when the time comes.”
MATTHEW 6:33-34 (THE MESSAGE)

On the journey with you,
Dave Dravecky

Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Provision

“Come, you who are blessed by my Father;
take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you
since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,

“Then the righteous will answer him,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you something to drink?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth,
whatever you did for one of these
brothers of mine, you did for me.’
MATTHEW 25:34-35, 37, 40 (NIV)

Jesus said that when we meet the needs of our neighbors, we have ministered personally to Him. Hurting people are our neighbors. We can’t give the Lord a drink as He cries out on the cross, “I thirst!” – that opportunity expired a long time ago but we can take a cue from His words in verses Matthew 25:34-40.

We can give someone else a cool beverage. We can respond to the needs we see around us – the need for dinnertime volunteers at a local nursing home, the need for ushers at church, the need for a Big Brother or Sister – and so minister to our Savior. In a very real sense, history can be rewritten – we can still give the Lord that drink. JONI EARECKSON TADA

During this current crisis there are so many needs around us – so many opportunities for us to serve and love our neighbors who are hurting, and in doing so, many ways to still give the Lord that drink …

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
and He will reward them for what they have done.
PROVERBS 19:17 (NIV)

On the journey with you,
Jan & Dave Dravecky

Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Provision

Many a man claims to have unfailing love,
But a faithful man who can find?
PROVERBS 20:6 (NLT)

I’ve never struggled with the “giver” side of Proverbs 20:6, but I have struggled mightily with the “receiver” side of it. I’ve always desired to be the kind of faithful friend this verse lauds – but I’ve had loads of trouble accepting the help that faithful friends (and family) have wanted to give me.

In fact, one of my greatest challenges in character development is admitting that I need help and that I will continue to need help.

I need help in many ways from the smallest thing like asking someone to tie my shoes or letting someone cut my meat, to the emotional adjustments Jan and I made with the help of a counselor. When I finally came to grips with the fact that, sooner or later, I’d have to ask somebody for help, I passed a marker on the road to maturity.

A friend is always loyal,
and a brother is born to help
in time of need.
PROVERBS 17:17 (NLT)

On the journey with you,
Dave Dravecky