“REED” This

Sing the Song

We are blessed to have a lot of trees, shrubs, and bushes around our house. Most are natural, but previous owners had put in several different kinds of plants and we have enjoyed all of them, as well as adding some ourselves. One of the benefits of these plants and trees is they attract wildlife. We have enjoyed seeing so many different animals and birds around and many of them have made their homes on our property. Squirrels scamper around and chase one another up and down the trees. Possums can be seen occasionally, along with otters and maybe a mink one time. The racoons are always fun to see, especially when the muscadines are ripe. They seem to really enjoy those. I have seen several bird nests around and every morning we can hear them singing. One type of bird that we hear and see are wrens. These birds are no bigger than my fist, and yet their song is strong, clear, and louder than the other birds. Very often there will be one close to a window or door and they will sing their song loud and strong. I’ve watched them several times as they sing for a minute or so, and then fly about thirty feet to another branch and start their song again. It is quite fascinating to watch and hear. As I was listening to one this morning, I didn’t see it, but I could tell when there was a pause in the sound and then it started again from a different spot. I knew it was flying around to different places to sing its song. One last pause, and then I heard it no more. Its flight around my yard was complete and it had moved on somewhere else. I immediately missed hearing the beautiful song.

As I thought about that, something rather quickly came to my mind. As Christians, God has appointed us to be sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. We not only have been given the opportunity, but also the responsibility to sing His song. It’s a beautiful song of love, forgiveness, restoration, and salvation. And it sounds so good when you hear it. It is amazing. It is breathtaking. It is moving. And it is comforting. The world doesn’t know the song, but they need to hear it. The song of Jesus is beautiful, and it needs to be loud and strong amidst all the noise of the world and its distractions. We need to sing it here and there and everywhere. We need to sing it for this person, then go to that person, and then to the next person again and again until they know the song and can sing it too because they know Jesus. We need to always be singing, taking advantage of every opportunity we have to share, because one day the song will stop. One day we will be gone and there will be no one to sing. The world will no longer hear the beautiful song of salvation and it will be too late.

The possibility of hearing a wren tomorrow morning around my house is pretty good. If I don’t hear one, I will probably hear the other birds and enjoy their songs, but I would miss hearing a wren. As we all hear the birds singing and calling out, may they remind us that we too are to be about the Father’s business. Just as God gave the birds their song and they sing it for His glory, we need to be singing the song of Jesus so others will be saved and God will be glorified.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Bro. Paul Reed

Tuesday, July 20, 2021