Good afternoon!
Today as I was praying the image of a bird came to mind!
Two things hit me!
1. The bird has a body
2. The bird flies!
Using this is a spiritual image we are all like birds!
On one hand we have physical bodies and just like the bird who needs to rest on a tree or look after her young on her nest, we too need to eat, sleep and look after our physical bodies!
Yet the bird can fly, it can spread its wings and defy the gravity of its body as it soars into the skies!
And so we too can fly so to speak! By the power of the Holy Spirit we don’t need to be held hostage by the temporal needs of our bodies!
In the bible God calls us to trusting in Him when it comes to temporal things such as food and shelter and asks us to put Him and His will first!
Matthew 6
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
If we apply this to the bird it’d be like saying ‘fly, I’ll direct you and don’t worry, I know you need rest and worms so I’ll look out for you”
But imagine a bird who doesn’t trust! He will never fly or enjoy the freedom of who he is because he’s afraid of the unknown! He builds one nest for life and never dares to move!
His wings are no good! He may as well be a cat!
But in today’s world this is what many human beings are doing!
Forgetting about their spiritual side (wings), their only concern is the earthly things!
Big mortgages to own a property, saving and saving for the future, insurance for insurance for insurance….
There is no trust in God here only rational thinking that reduces a human being to an intelligent type of an animal!
But just as the bird is made to fly, so is man made for a relationship with God and this relationship is to be the true source of his freedom and his number one priority!
Sadly for most christians their number one priority is themselves and their needs!
Every time I meet young people (I was going to say ‘like me’ but I’m not so young…(right Don!!!)) I yawn as they tell me about where they are from and what jobs they do…
Sure all that has a place but a very secondary place!
I’d like to ask them
‘What has God done in your life this week, what has he shown you?’
But usually I don’t as I fear the answer might be ‘nothing’ or worse they’d tell me about their job or some boring fact that some theologian wrote!
And so my message today is simple!
God doesn’t want us like caged parrots repeating continuously what the saints said and did!
![](https://michael4jesus.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/cute-bird-parrot-in-cage-mascot-vector-136495967622618134716941159.jpg?w=529)
No! God wants us to soar like eagles and to be the magnificent saints of the future that future generations of parrots will talk about!
![](https://michael4jesus.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/soaring_eagle_webinar157802319924284421.jpg?w=529)
“Jesus, teach me to trust and to put my trust into my actions as I fly under the power of your Holy Spirit.
Forgive me for all the places where I refuse to fly, where I stay attached to worldly things and forgive me for all jealousy and mocking of those who have learnt to fly!
Come Holy Spirit, bring my faith to life, I surrender all to thee, let’s fly and show the world the power of Jesus! “