Ornithologists tell us that birds are free within parameters.  Each winter many birds fly thousands of miles south to a specific location and in the spring do the reverse trip, returning to the same place they flew from. How do they do this? We call it instinct. What is instinct?  It is a mysterious built in mechanism that controls the actions of the bird. You could say that God's has built in parameters for this specific creation of His. He cares for them in such a way that He built right into their being certain parameters to protect, provide and keep them.  Yes, birds have wonderful freedom, but it is not absolute. It has defined parameters.

 When Jesus told us to consider the birds of the air, He went on to ask, "Are you not more important than they to God?"  If God cared for the birds of the air in such a way to build in parameters to protect and keep them, will He do less for us?  Actually, we are freer than birds.  We can choose not to live within God's grace parameters. We can refuse God's gracious law (parameters given for our protection).  Birds do not have such a choice. This freedom of choice has its consequences, both for our refusal (sin) and our acceptance. But we do have the choice.

 Does it not make sense to receive and live within the gracious parameters that God has given us?  Are we not freer in the care and protection of God than in the bondage of sin?  Consider the birds of the air. Accept Christ and His way, for when "the Son has set you free you are free indeed!" (John 8:36)

Keep Close To Jesus
Pastor Gerry