As I mowed the grass this week, I was so mesmerized by the barn swallows that swooped and dove in front of my mower. They migrate back to this area in late April — a sure sign that spring is on the way for us. They set up housekeeping in a barn near us, but they dine on our bugs as we mow. For ages, I've thought that I could get a picture of them because they dip so close to the mower that I could almost touch them. Today, I tried to take a picture but neither I nor my shutter speed were fast enough. I took a few pictures, but the birds looked like specks in the sky.

One of the things that I read about barn swallows is that they are aerial foragers — they eat on the fly. There is no air show that can equal their antics as they do their acrobatics in order to get their dinner.

The birds reminded me that I recently went through a time when I was likewise an aerial forager — I ate my spiritual food on the run. Although I talked with God constantly, when it came to reading my Bible and meditating on it, I was like the little barn swallows, just grabbing what I could get quickly. I collected bits and pieces that kept me from starving spiritually, but by no means did I feel full or satisfied. I was talking to God, but I was not listening to Him completely because I was not hearing His voice through His Word. For several months now, I have been feasting on His Word and not foraging on the fly, and my heart is well fed.

Psalm 119:103 – How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (NKJV)

My little friends have followed me all summer as I mowed, but as the colder winds blow, we will see fewer and fewer of them until they are all gone. What a blessing that "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever." (Isaiah 40:8 NKJV) I will miss these wonders of God's world, but I will always remember the lesson that I learned from their dining habits. I pray that you will, too.

Jeremiah 15:16 – Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts. (NKJV)

Pray with me:

Prayer: Lord, I am grateful for the bites that You have provided, but I long for a full meal. My heart is Yours, my Saviour. Amen.

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About the author:

Jeanie Nihiser <jnihiserj@gmail.com>
Geneseo, New York, USA
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