P. Pilgrim
Have you ever considered how birds teach their young to fly? The sight of birds soaring overhead can be awe-inspiring because they seem to fly with such effortless grace. However, much like humans aren’t born knowing how to walk, birds don’t know how to fly when they hatch. When they are learning accidents can happen and chicks can fall from the nest although often the adult bird will swoop down below the chick planting itself firmly underneath so that the chick falls into the parent. The adult birds are attentive to their offspring but they also want what is best for them. The story is told of three young swallows who were perched on a dead branch that stretched out over a lake. One of the adult swallows got alongside the chicks and started shoving them out toward the end of the branch, pushing and pushing them to the end. Unsurprisingly the end one fell off! Somewhere between the branch and the water four feet below the wings started to work and the fledgling was off on his own. Then the same thing happened to the second one. The third one was not to be bullied. At the last possible moment his grip on the branch loosened just enough so that he swung downward, then tightened again. The parent, however, was not dissuaded from their act of love and without sentiment, he pecked at the desperately clinging talons, feet, until it was more painful for the poor chick to hang on then risk the insecurities of flying. The grip was released and the inexperienced wings begun pumping. The mature swallows knew what the chick did not, that it would fly, that there was no danger in making it do what it was perfectly designed to do. Birds have feet and can walk. Birds have talons and can grasp a branch securely. They can walk; they can sing. However, flying is their characteristic action, and not until they fly are they living life at their best, gracefully and beautifully. With that in mind I ask the questions, What is man? What is the purpose of man? Man was made to worship his creator God. Therefore, the chief desire of his heart is toward God. So, to live a fulfilling life he needs to worship the true and living God. The psalmist Asaph says in Psalm 73 verses 25&26 – “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” The main purpose of man is to worship the living God. If man wants to fly and soar above like the birds, he needs to do what he was designed to do and that is worship God. The prophet Isaiah states in the book of Isaiah chapter 40 verse 31 “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” To worship God you need to know him first, you need a personal relationship with the loving God. That is possible by reading his word, the Bible, which tells us about him and then accepting his plan on how to know him by trusting in his son Jesus Christ for salvation. It is only then that our lives will be at their best, gracefully and beautiful just like the birds that soar high above us fulfilling their purpose for their lives.
pilgrimway101@yahoo.com
