From: "Gospel Messenger Service" Subject: Robin's Message Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2005 13:37:05 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0007_01C4F4BD.FF9EA5C0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Unsent: 1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C4F4BD.FF9EA5C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable THE ROBIN=92S MESSAGE By Pastor Dick A message came to me last spring by air mail, delivered right to my = house=97not to my door, but to my window sill=97by a pretty little = robin. One morning I looked out my window and there she was just sitting = on the sill. I knew it was a female because of the dull red color of her = breast. She would fly away and then return a while later. I didn=92t = know at the time that she had a message for me; I thought she was = looking for some food. The window sill was within easy reach from my = kitchen doorstep, so I placed a handful of bird seed on it for her; but = after I did that, the little bird stayed away. Two days later I removed = the bird seed and then, the next day, she was back on the window sill. = Apparently the reason she was there was not to get food. She then began to build a nest and, with my background in building, this = really got my attention. Let me tell you, it was something to watch! I = have never seen anyone work so hard and so well as that little bird. She = made countless trips back and forth, carrying mud and straw to the = window sill. Then she would form them together with the skill of a = master builder. She worked from the inside of the nest, carefully = placing a few pieces of straw in the mud; then she pressed against it = with her breast as she turned round and round, shaping the interior into = a circle. I checked out her work so closely that I measured the nest to = see if it was perfectly round and found that it was. Throughout this construction project, I noticed that she was doing all = the work. I kept watching for her mate, but he did not show up. I knew I = would be able to distinguish him from her because he would have a = brighter red breast. I wondered what was the matter with him. He had a = very pretty wife and she was working so hard. Was he out flirting around = with other robins? Or perhaps he was just a lazy old bird.=20 After several days the robin, all by herself, had finished building the = nest. It was a job well done; I call it a showpiece. She built it on the = sill of one of those windows that cranks outward, so I could not open it = as I did not want to harm such a work of art. Once her nest was built, she got on with her more important work. Soon I = noticed an egg in the nest and then another and another=97she laid one = every day until there were four. When she was setting on the eggs, I = took extra care not to disturb her. Sometimes I would have to use the = side door and go through the garage to get outside, because every time = the front kitchen door opened, she would fly away. When that door was = open wide, the outside handle was twelve inches from the nest; that is = how close it was. After the mother robin set on her eggs for twelve days, they began to = hatch, and four little baby birds came forth. Now things really got = interesting. The next morning, after the baby birds appeared, I looked = out of the kitchen window and there was the father bird standing in the = driveway with a mouthful of worms. I called for my wife to come, and she = hurried to look out the window to see this unexpected visitor. I said to = her, "It=92s the father. He finally showed up. Look at the food he has = for the babies!" Then she had to leave to answer the telephone. Her = friend had called at that moment to say that her husband had a big box = of food he wanted to give us. After the phone call, Roberta came back to continue looking out the = window at the robin in our driveway and I said to her, "See how red his = breast is? That=92s the father, not the mother. He=92s been getting food = for his family." Between what I said and what her friend had told her on = the phone about the box of food for us, she suddenly got a revelation = and exclaimed, "It=92s the father who feeds the children!" Now, I know a little about the birds and the bees, and I realize that = the father bird did have more of a part in bringing about this family of = little birds than just gathering some food; but all during the building = of the nest and the hatching of the eggs, he was nowhere to be seen. = However, when I was telling Roberta about how the father bird showed up = to feed the baby robins and that phone call came about the box of food = her friend=92s husband had for us, we both got a witness from the Holy = Spirit that "It is the Heavenly Father who feeds His children." This is the message God has been telling us again and again in different = ways. This time it came through a little bird. We need to remember that = it is not our responsibility to feed God=92s children. It is His! It is = the Good Shepherd who feeds the sheep (S.of S.1:7), and His supply is = unlimited! Although, He does give us the privilege of helping, for which = we are most thankful. After all the birds were gone, things were quiet on my window sill. Now = I could open my kitchen door without being concerned about frightening = the mother robin, and I no longer had to go through the garage to get to = my front yard. Roberta and I thanked the Lord for giving us the = experience of being able to watch from our kitchen window the family = life of these little birds, and for the wonderful message we had = received through them, that it is the Father who feeds the children. I = thought my bird watching days were over, but this is not the end of the = story. Would you believe that about one month later a robin appeared and built = another nest right on top of the existing one?! We now have a = double-decker bird=92s nest displayed on my window sill. This may have = been the same robin as before; I could not tell. Anyway, the same = scenario repeated itself=97it was deja-vu! This time I didn=92t watch = them as much as before, but I did welcome their visit. Again, I provided = bread and water and went back to using the side garage door; and, once = again, I saw that when it came time to feed the babies, the father bird = appeared with food in his mouth. If you happen to come to my kitchen doorstep, it will be hard not to = notice the two-story bird=92s nest on the window sill. Some people who = see it comment about how unusual it is for a bird to build a nest so = close to a busy doorway. I believe it was the Lord who instructed the = robin to build in that location=97not only once, but twice=97so that we = would be sure to get this message: It is the Heavenly Father who feeds = His children. When we feed on spiritual food that nourishes our heart and causes us to = grow in the love of God, we should remember that it comes from the Hand = of God not from a person. The Father is good at preparing things for His = children, for the Bible says, ". . . it is written, Eye hath not seen, = nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things = which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Cor.2:9). The Lord = may use us to pass along some of His bread, but it is the Heavenly = Father who feeds His children! ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C4F4BD.FF9EA5C0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
THE =  ROBIN=92S=20  MESSAGE
 
 By Pastor=20 Dick
 
A message came = to me last=20 spring by air mail, delivered right to my house=97not to my door, but to = my window=20 sill=97by a pretty little robin. One morning I looked out my window and = there she=20 was just sitting on the sill. I knew it was a female because of the dull = red=20 color of her breast. She would fly away and then return a while later. I = didn=92t=20 know at the time that she had a message for me; I thought she was = looking for=20 some food. The window sill was within easy reach from my kitchen = doorstep, so I=20 placed a handful of bird seed on it for her; but after I did that, the = little=20 bird stayed away. Two days later I removed the bird seed and then, the = next day,=20 she was back on the window sill. Apparently the reason she was there was = not to=20 get food.
 
She then began = to build a=20 nest and, with my background in building, this really got my attention. = Let me=20 tell you, it was something to watch! I have never seen anyone work so = hard and=20 so well as that little bird. She made countless trips back and forth, = carrying=20 mud and straw to the window sill. Then she would form them together with = the=20 skill of a master builder. She worked from the inside of the nest, = carefully=20 placing a few pieces of straw in the mud; then she pressed against it = with her=20 breast as she turned round and round, shaping the interior into a = circle. I=20 checked out her work so closely that I measured the nest to see if it = was=20 perfectly round and found that it was.
 
Throughout = this construction=20 project, I noticed that she was doing all the work. I kept watching for = her=20 mate, but he did not show up. I knew I would be able to distinguish him = from her=20 because he would have a brighter red breast. I wondered what was the = matter with=20 him. He had a very pretty wife and she was working so hard. Was he out = flirting=20 around with other robins? Or perhaps he was just a lazy old bird. =
 
After several = days the=20 robin, all by herself, had finished building the nest. It was a job well = done; I=20 call it a showpiece. She built it on the sill of one of those windows = that=20 cranks outward, so I could not open it as I did not want to harm such a = work of=20 art.
 
Once her nest = was built, she=20 got on with her more important work. Soon I noticed an egg in the nest = and then=20 another and another=97she laid one every day until there were four. When = she was=20 setting on the eggs, I took extra care not to disturb her. Sometimes I = would=20 have to use the side door and go through the garage to get outside, = because=20 every time the front kitchen door opened, she would fly away. When that = door was=20 open wide, the outside handle was twelve inches from the nest; that is = how close=20 it was.
 
After the = mother robin set=20 on her eggs for twelve days, they began to hatch, and four little baby = birds=20 came forth. Now things really got interesting. The next morning, after = the baby=20 birds appeared, I looked out of the kitchen window and there was the = father bird=20 standing in the driveway with a mouthful of worms. I called for my wife = to come,=20 and she hurried to look out the window to see this unexpected visitor. I = said to=20 her, "It=92s the father. He finally showed up. Look at the food he has = for the=20 babies!" Then she had to leave to answer the telephone. Her friend had = called at=20 that moment to say that her husband had a big box of food he wanted to give us.
 
After the = phone call,=20 Roberta came back to continue looking out the window at the robin in our = driveway and I said to = her, "See how=20 red his breast is? That=92s the father, not the mother. He=92s been = getting food for=20 his family." Between what I said and what her friend had told her on the = phone=20 about the box of food for us, she suddenly got a revelation and = exclaimed, "It=92s=20 the father who feeds the children!"
 
Now, I know a = little about=20 the birds and the bees, and I realize that the father bird did have more = of a=20 part in bringing about this family of little birds than just gathering = some=20 food; but all during the building of the nest and the hatching of the = eggs, he=20 was nowhere to be seen. However, when I was telling Roberta about how = the father=20 bird showed up to feed the baby robins and that phone call came about = the box of=20 food her friend=92s husband had for us, we both got a witness from the = Holy Spirit=20 that "It is the Heavenly Father who feeds His = children."
 
This is the = message God has=20 been telling us again and again in different ways. This time it came = through a=20 little bird. We need to remember that it is not our responsibility to = feed God=92s=20 children. It is His! It is the Good Shepherd who feeds the sheep (S.of = S.1:7),=20 and His supply is unlimited! Although, He does give us the privilege of = helping,=20 for which we are most thankful.
 
After all the = birds were=20 gone, things were quiet on my window sill. Now I could open my kitchen = door=20 without being concerned about frightening the mother robin, and I no = longer had=20 to go through the garage to get to my front yard. Roberta and I thanked = the Lord=20 for giving us the experience of being able to watch from our kitchen = window the=20 family life of these little birds, and for the wonderful message we had = received=20 through them, that it is the Father who feeds the children. I thought my = bird=20 watching days were over, but this is not the end of the = story.
 
Would you = believe that about=20 one month later a robin appeared and built another nest right on top of = the=20 existing one?! We now have a double-decker bird=92s nest displayed on my = window=20 sill. This may have been the same robin as before; I could not tell. = Anyway, the=20 same scenario repeated itself=97it was deja-vu! This time I didn=92t = watch them as=20 much as before, but I did welcome their visit. Again, I provided bread = and water=20 and went back to using the side garage door; and, once again, I saw that = when it=20 came time to feed the babies, the father bird appeared with food in his=20 mouth.
 
If you happen = to come to my=20 kitchen doorstep, it will be hard not to notice the two-story bird=92s = nest on the=20 window sill. Some people who see it comment about how unusual it is for = a bird=20 to build a nest so close to a busy doorway. I believe it was the Lord = who=20 instructed the robin to build in that location=97not only once, but = twice=97so that=20 we would be sure to get this message: It is the Heavenly Father who = feeds His=20 children.
 
When we feed = on spiritual=20 food that nourishes our heart and causes us to grow in the love of God, = we=20 should remember that it comes from the Hand of God not from a person. = The Father=20 is good at preparing things for His children, for the Bible says, ". . = . it=20 is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into = the=20 heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that = love=20 him" (1 Cor.2:9). The Lord may use us to pass along some of His = bread, but=20 it is the Heavenly Father who feeds His children!
 
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