The Sparrow At My Window

Once again today I was in my office and heard the chirping of a sparrow right outside my window.  As it sat on the window ledge, I had the opportunity to observe the bird, to see its alertness, its vigilance.  If I looked closely, I almost believed I could see the beating of its heart as it rested from its flight.

I have no ideas what sparrows think about or what they do besides make nests and empty bird feeders.  Though I never thought a sparrow was exceptionally beautiful as far as birds go, the little creature has a beauty of its own.  When it took off I followed it with my eyes as long as I could, and then I whispered, “Only the Father knows where the sparrow is now.”

I find it intriguing that Jesus used the example of the Father’s knowledge of sparrows as an encouragement to trust and fearless living.  Jesus focuses on our frightened reactions to those who might harm us in Matthew 10, but the wider application is to anything that might threaten us or instill within us fear.  Perhaps the greatest fear is to be overlooked by God, forgotten, out of His sight.  Frequently I speak to those who believe their lives are lived largely without the awareness of the Father.  It is a fearful thing indeed, to fall through the cracks, to be overlooked or forgotten by the Almighty.

But Jesus insists such is not the case.  A sparrow can’t fall to the ground without the Father’s knowledge and involvement, Matthew 10:29 tells us.  That makes God a great bird-watcher, but does that fact relate to us?  Yes, indeed, of course it does – Jesus goes on to say in Matthew 10:30, “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.”  

What’s the point?

As large as God may be as the Creator and Sustainer of all that is, He notes the distress of even the smallest of creatures.  Not only does He know about the sparrow, He has an accurate count of the hair on our heads, seemingly useless and insignificant information – except it tells us how attentive God is to us.  As one writer put it, for God to know that kind of information is a way of saying God is engrossed with His people.  I like that image – engrossed.  Absorbed.  Immersed.  The way we are to be with Him, and the way He really is with us.

Don’t be afraid, Jesus says – to God you are worth more than many sparrows.  Whatever we face in life, whether it be difficult times, disappointing circumstances, troubling relationships, broken health or hearts, we don’t have to face that alone.  The One who has His eye on the sparrow has His eye on us.  The One who doesn’t miss a hair on our heads doesn’t miss a moment of our lives.

And He wants to do more than just watch us – His longing is to walk with us through that which creates fear, to still our hearts and calm our souls and assure us that He is at work.

His eye is on the sparrow – but more important, His eye is on you and me.