If a Robin Can Say Thank You

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:26 (NIV)

When I took my dog out into the frozen tundra which was my yard last month after a blizzard and a week of sub-zero temperatures, I saw and heard a miraculous sight.

I might have missed it if I had just concentrated on my internal mumblings and musings in my mind about the cold, the snow, having to get out of the warm bed to take the dog out, thinking about taking out the garbage and taking the kids to school.

The mornings are beautiful and despite the cold I love the stillness of the brink of a busy day. While the dog does his business I take a deep breath and take in the beauty of the snow glistening like diamonds, the beauty of the trees adorned with snow, the icicles hanging from the roof like stalactites in a cave, the architecture of a snow drift curved over the roof into the sun porch.

But what amazed me this particular morning were the birds.

A tree full of robins perched in the crab apple tree merrily chirping in the nearly sub-zero temperatures.

Why are all these robins here? Aren’t they supposed to be south in warmer climates? How do they survive in the harsh winter elements? What do they eat when the ground is frozen solid and covered in a foot of snow?

As I marveled at the tree full of robins, a scripture came to mind about God knowing when a sparrow falls. “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.” (Matthew 10:29). Then another scripture came to my mind about how God provides for the birds. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.” (Matthew 6:26)

Even in the dead of winter, there were berries left on the crab apple tree. It was full of dried up fruit. God in his divine, wisdom, order and plan left the berries on the tree to provide for the birds in the dead of winter.

He does the same and so much more for us. The verse in Matthew goes on to say, “Are you not much more valuable than they (the birds)?” I thanked God in my frozen tundra for the reality that God takes care of me--He provides for us-- even in those winter seasons when it seems like everything is dead.

Standing in the cold, a song came to my mind as I heard the robins cheerfully chirping their song.

I joined them with my own song.

“Everybody ought to praise his name. Be thankful and praise His name. Everybody ought to praise His name. If a robin can say thank you, you can do it too.”