Sunday, July 12, 2009

psalm 84: sparrows & pilgrimages

sunday morning. it is no surprise to wake this morning with another banner of words running across my thoughts. i am a little curious if this happens all night long...even when i am finally asleep? do these headlines never stop?
this morning's message.  today's heading:   "even the sparrow finds a home...the swallow a nest...near God's altar."
where did that come from and why did these words wake me? i recognized the verse, but couldn't quite place it.  so downstairs i came, to my office and bible. intent on figuring out God's message.  psalm 84:3:
 "even the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest for her young,
 near your altar O Lord Almighty, my Kind, my God."

oh, psalm 84.  i should have known. we have been around this passage before.  two years ago our family felt God's tugging.  we felt like He had something in store for us. some kind of journey up ahead.  at that time it was verse 5 which captured my attention.  "blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage." until this morning,  i had completely forgotten the psalm started with sparrow imagery. what a gift to wake early with these words from this psalm.  why am i ever surprised by the clever and amazing connections God provides?  over and over again, He crosses our paths and touches our thoughts with His fingerprints.  allowing us to know He is here.  He is in this.  He is all over this.   
sparrows and pilgrimages.  they are His.

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