And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— . . . I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, bereaved, and helpless]; I will come [back] to you. . . .  But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you. Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]

John 14:16, 18, 26-27 (AMP)

 

A storm blew in fast and hard. Thunder shook our house, rain cascaded down in heavy sheets. It was a wicked storm, full of fury, lasting almost an hour.

 

But shortly after its passing I heard a sweet song. The song of a bird outside in our tree. And it made me wonder…

 

 

Dear little birdie

where do you go

When the lightning strikes

and thunder rolls?

Do you hide in your nest

do you fly far away

what do you do

when the storms rage?

 

I did a little research and I found out, birds are pretty resilient animals. They are also, possibly, weather forecasters. It is thought they can feel the temperature changes and the barometric changes, giving them time to find a place to settle before the storm rolls through.

 

Birds tend to latch as hard as they can onto a tree, or some birds, like Woodpeckers, hide in the holes they make in a tree. Others, will find shelter in hedges and bushes or thick undergrowth. While some will huddle somewhere on the ground.

 

I also found out birds downy coats keep them quite warm. Which is why we enjoy wearing “down coats” and comforters to keep us toasty too. And do you know what else? The air that flows beneath their wings, is also warm air, providing a warm place for their offspring.

 

Have you ever noticed how a bird lifts its wing to protect its young? That wing is strong and it creates a barrier for the little ones.

 

Much like our Father does for us. Sometimes we, too, see a storm coming our way and we search out a refuge to keep us safe and comfortable during it.

And the little birdie answered me:

 

“I found my refuge in a tree

I know it was created just for me

to be a shelter from the storm

to give me comfort from all harm.

 

And God has sent Him just for you

a Comforter who is tried and true

I may be a birdie in a tree

but I know our Creator gives generously.

 

Next time you are in a storm

just cling to Him like talons deep

let God be your refuge, shelter, and guide

And when it’s over you’ll be singing praises like I.”

~Marcie Bridges
©21 July 2020

Dear friend, our refuge needs to be with and in the Holy Spirit. God sent Him to dwell within us so we can always know the safety and comfort of God in our hearts.

 

I know many of us are scared and frightened of what is going on in our world today. Some of us are facing terrors we never thought possible within our cities and homes. But through it all, God is with us. Hold on to Him. Seek Him. Trust in Him. Cling to Him. Keep your mind, heart, soul, and eyes focused on Him. He will never let you down. Never.

 

From My Heart to Yours,
Marcie 🙂

 

All pictures courtesy of www.pixabay.com

 

May the Lord speak peace to your heart today: