5 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.


We know we love God when we joyfully delight in obedience.  We love Him because we know Him.  We know Him because our love for God comes from the love that God Himself has shed abroad in our hearts which is then practically lived out through a joyful obedience.  When we know God enough to love Him, it is no burden to obey Him because we know that all of His commands, statutes, and laws are for our good and for the prospering of our mind, body and soul. 

Today is Resurrection Sunday, the high holiday of the Christian faith.      Some call it Easter, but Easter is pagan in it's origin.  It's truly not about the bunny, the eggs, new life, or pretty pastels.  It is a celebration of POWER, specifically the power of the Holy Spirit that overcame the power of death and brought human flesh back to life after three days in the grave.  It's a celebration of faith and hope.  It is a celebration of the culmination of the great plan of God concerning His creation and mankind through all of history, the pinnacle point of all known  time.

Imagine, the culmination of everything through all time past, present and future takes place in a 3 day span from the cross to the empty tomb.  Central to it all is Christ.  

It amazes me that even before God created man, He knew that we would fall.  Even before he picked up that first handful of  clay that would become Adam, he knew that redeeming this creation would cost Him His most precious Son, the spotless one reigning with Him in glory.  Knowing full well the problem and and the cure, God created us anyway.  God is love.  Love is only defined and known  through it's expression.  Redemption is the highest, most convincing proof that God could provide of the vast extent of His loving nature.  It is the clear picture of perfect love.  What else could God do, what else could He give to prove His love for us than offering up His own son to redeem us back to Himself even before He created us?  Even in His foreknowledge He chose to let it be so that we would know assuredly of the great love that He has for us.  

And with the crucifixion and Resurrection of His Son, who became God in human flesh, He forever sealed the covenant.  It can never be altered.  It can never be changed.  It is forever established and settled in heaven.  

Now THAT is reason to celebrate!

  

Two years ago, my family bought me a bird feeder for my birthday.  I hung it on a tree that overhangs the deck off of my kitchen.  I used to be one that made fun of birdwatchers so I was surprised at how fun they are to observe.

Last year I noticed that a certain bird kept returning to the feeder.  I knew it was the same bird because he had a "wanger feather", a bent  feather that stuck out from his body.  He looked much like my son when he gets out of bed in the morning!  He was a common sparrow, plain and uninteresting looking but because he was a regular at the feeder we named him "Max" mostly because his plump body reminded us of a relative.  (I don't think he reads my blog!) :-)

Normally I don't pay much attention to the plainer, more common birds.  My attention gets captured when a flash of red or vibrant blue flies by the door.  Those are not rare colors but usually are an indication that something a little out of the ordinary has come to dine.  It may be a pair of cardinals, a noisy blue jay, or a woodpecker.  One day I was totally delighted by a red breasted grosbeak.  Then there are the juncos with their subtle but classy grey and white or a variety of finches whose markings are pleasantly distinctive.

And now, there was plain, plump, neutral colored Max!    He had captured my heart.

One day my daughter asked me "Why did God make those birds so ugly?"  The Lord spoke the response to me.  "They aren't ugly to me."

Are not two sparrows sold for a cent?  And yet, not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father...So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.  Matthew 10:29,31

Perhaps the reason that God chose the lowly sparrow in this passage instead of the majestic eagle or the faithful dove is to remind us of a few things:

~We are like the sparrow.  Common, plentiful, plain.  All stained with sin.  Yet, God knows us, even down to the number of hairs on our heads at any given time.  No matter how much we think we blend in, no matter how insignificant we feel we are, God knows our name.  He made us.  ALL God's creation is fearfully and wonderfully made and loved equally by Him.

~Sometimes we look past the plain and ordinary people of our world to the more obvious beauty around us, forgetting that in reality we are all on level ground.  It is true that there are some more flamboyant, more vocal, and seemingly more talented than others that divert our attention and affections, but God's love remains the same.  Just as my feeder feeds all the birds, the common and the uncommon, the finely groomed and the ruffled feather, God cares for and provides the needs of all that come His table.

"Are not five sparrows sold for two cents?  Yet, not one of them is forgotten before God."  Luke 12:6