God Watches Us Like a Hen, Not a Hawk

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and
yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?~Matthew 6:26 (NIV)

As I opened my Bible one chilly winter morning, I heard in my mind, “Child, you know
me, and I am watching.” Watching what, Lord? Instinctively, I thought of a snag I had with a purchase I made the day before for my pregnant daughter. An item was scanned twice on my receipt, so I asked a store clerk to adjust my purchase. However, as I was leaving, I saw I had failed to scan another item. Ugh! I was in a hurry to get home, so my patience cracked like thin ice. Rather than leaving, instead, like a good girl, I walked to the customer service line and waited (tapping my foot) and paid for the balance. Was the Lord watching me as with the sharp eye of a hungry hawk whether I would pay for my stuff?

Turning back to my devotion, I read how the Father encourages us not to worry. He
cares for His children as He tends to feeding tiny birds. Just then, an image came to my
mind of a mother bird standing over her hatchlings with her wings sheltering her young
from dangerous prey. Then, she fed each one with her beak as they craned their necks
for the next worm. As comforting as that image seemed, my head swirled with worry. Could I afford to pay for our bills? Would I have the means to help my family? Like a mother bird, I wanted to care for my daughter’s needs. Was this in the same manner God meant when he said, “I am watching?”

Tears smarted my eyes. Lord, I have You all wrong. I viewed You as a hawk ready to
devour me in a potential failure like at the store. Instead, You look after me like a loving
mother hen. God covers us with His comforting wings, warding off attacks from our enemies. At times, that enemy is my own lack of faith.

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
~Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

The Lord restores our peace by providing us with everything we need. Wherever God
has placed us amidst a storm…feeling the pang of loneliness, worrying about having
enough, or having a genuine physical need, God’s faithful care brings us confident
assurance. Look at the little creatures who don’t worry or anxiously work, but instead
trust in God’s provision.

Believing you are valuable in God’s eyes, for what can you trust God’s protection and nurturing supply?

Lord, thank You for the comfort of Your embrace as a mother hen. Help me rest in my
nest and wait for Your loving care. Comfort me in this thought; I am Your charge. You
are responsible for all that concerns me. Help me remember I am Your child and You
are watching me. Amen.