Psalm 103 -Bless the LORD, O My Soul

Psalm 103 gives us a number of reasons to praise the Lord with all of our being because:

*of all the benefits He has given us;
*He forgives all of our iniquities;
*He heals all our diseases;
*He redeems our lives from destruction;
*He crowns us with loving-kindness and tender mercies;
*He satisfies our mouths with good things, so that our youth is renewed like
the eagle's;
*He executes righteousness and judgment for all who are oppressed;
*He made His ways known to Moses, and His acts to the children of Israel;
*He is merciful;
*He is gracious;
*He is slow to anger;
*He is plenteous in mercy;
*He will not always chide;
*He will not keep His anger forever;
*He has not dealt with us after our sins;
*He has not rewarded us according to our iniquities;
*His mercy toward those who fear Him is as great as the heavens are high
above the earth;
*He pities those who fear Him as a father pities his children;
*He knows our frame;
*He remembers that we are dust;
*His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear Him;
and His righteousness to children's children; to such as keep His covenant,
and remember His commandments to do them;
*He has prepared His throne in the heavens;
*His kingdom rules over all.

We are invited to join the angels, all His hosts, and His ministers, who do His pleasure, in blessing the Lord. All of His works, in all places of His dominion, are exhorted to bless the Lord.

Suffering Hardship for Christ

The past couple of days I've been reading Commandos for Christ by Bruce Porterfield. He and his family were missionaries many years ago in Bolivia, near the Brazilian border, in the jungle. Reading about the hardships they faced--anacondas, Yoguerrohobobos (deadly snakes), boa constrictors, alligators, army ants, cockroaches, scorpions, intense heat, swamps, river travel (lots of things for a boat to hit), poisonous plants, jungle overgrowth, difficult hiking, humidity, sickness, muck, vampire bats, unfriendly/hostile Indians, angry farmers, spiritual struggles, death of a good friend and fellow missionary--reminded me of the difficulties Paul faced on his missionary journeys that were mentioned in our daily Bible reading yesterday.

"For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life; but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God, who raiseth the dead, Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us." II Corinthians 1:8-10

It also brought to mind an old hymn:

Am I a Soldier of the Cross?

Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His Name?

Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord.
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word.

Thy saints in all this glorious war
Shall conquer, though they die;
They see the triumph from afar,
By faith’s discerning eye.

When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all Thy armies shine
In robes of victory through the skies,
The glory shall be Thine.

Songs of Heaven #21

Lovingly dedicated to my mother, and my dear friend, Dawn, both of whom are battling cancer.

Absent from Flesh! O Blissful Thought!

Absent from flesh! O blissful thought!
What unknown joys this moment brings!
Freed from the mischiefs sin has brought,
From pains, and fears, and all their springs.

Absent from flesh! illustrious day!
Surprising scene! triumphant stroke
That rends the prison of my clay;
And I can feel my fetters broke.

Absent from flesh! then rise, my soul,
Where feet nor wings could never climb,
Beyond the heav’ns, where planets roll,
Measuring the cares and joys of time.

I go where God and glory shine,
His presence makes eternal day:
My all that’s mortal I resign,
For angels wait and point my way.

(Words by Isaac Watts)

Hymns #5 - As Thirsts the Hart for Water Brooks

As Thirsts the Hart for Water Brooks

As thirsts the hart for water brooks,
So thirsts my soul, O God, for Thee;
It seeks for God, and ever looks,
And longs the living God to see,
And longs the living God to see.

Far from the courts of God, my tears
Have been my food by night and day,
While constantly with bitter sneers,
Where is thy God? the scoffers say,
Where is thy God? the scoffers say.

With grief I think of days gone by,
When oft I trod the hallowed way
To Zion, praising God on high
With throngs who kept the holy day,
With throngs who kept the holy day.

O why art thou cast down, my soul,
And why so troubled shouldst thou be?
Hope thou in God, and Him extol,
Who gives His saving help to me,
Who gives His saving help to me.

Since, O my God, my soul is bowed,
In exile far, with bitter grief,
I turn my thoughts to Thy abode,
For consolation and relief,
For consolation and relief.

With mighty voice deep calls to deep,
While raging storms Thy judgments tell;
The angry billows o’er me leap,
The waves of sorrow near me swell,
The waves of sorrow near me swell.

Though troubles surge, yet through the day
The Lord His gracious help will give,
And in the night my heart will pray
And sing to Him in whom I live,
And sing to Him in whom I live.

To God my Rock I cry and say,
“O why hast Thou forgotten me?
Why go I mourning on my way,
Oppressed by foes that know not Thee,
Oppressed by foes that know not Thee?”

With anguish as from piercing sword
Reproach of bitter foes I hear,
While day by day, with taunting word,
“Where is thy God?” the scoffers sneer
“Where is thy God?” the scoffers sneer.

O why art thou cast down, my soul,
And why so troubled shouldst thou be?
Hope thou in God, and Him extol,
Who gives His saving help to me,
Who gives His saving help to me.

(Words from The Psalter)

Hymns #4 - Am I a Soldier of the Cross?

Am I a Soldier of the Cross?

Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His Name?

Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord.
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word.

Thy saints in all this glorious war
Shall conquer, though they die;
They see the triumph from afar,
By faith’s discerning eye.

When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all Thy armies shine
In robes of victory through the skies,
The glory shall be Thine.

(Words by Isaac Watts)

Songs of Heaven #20

Why Should Our Tears in Sorrow Flow

Why should our tears in sorrow flow
When God recalls His own;
And bids them leave a world of woe
For an immortal crown?

Is not e’en death a gain to those
Whose life to God was given?
Gladly to earth their eyes they close
To open them in Heaven.

Their toils are past, their work is done,
And they are fully blest;
They fought the fight, the victory won,
And entered into rest.

Then let our sorrows cease to flow;
God has recalled His own;
But let our hearts, in every woe,
Still say, “Thy will be done.”

(Words by William H. Bathurst)

Songs of Heaven #19

When I Walk Up the Streets of Gold

The burdens of life may be many,
The frowns of the world may be cold;
To me it will matter but little,
When I walk up the streets of gold.

With joy I shall enter that city,
The face of my Savior behold;
And I shall be changed and be like Him,
When I walk up the streets of gold.

What wonderful visions of beauty,
What glorious scenes shall unfold;
And what dazzling splendors surround me,
When I walk up the streets of gold.

For ages and ages I’ll praise Him,
And never grow weary or old;
Love-crowned I’ll abide in His presence,
When I walk up the streets of gold.

Refrain

When I walk up the streets of gold,
When I walk up the streets of gold;
How my heart will rejoice in that morning,
When I walk up the streets of gold.

(Words by Homer F. Morris)

Songs of Heaven #18

When We Get Home

When we get home from our sorrow and care
And we stand with the angels of light,
Oh, what a meeting in Heaven there’ll be,
In that land without shadow or night;
Sorrow and care, tribulation and pain
We’ll leave, when we pass thro’ the tomb;
Clouds of despair, storms of trial and care,
We shall leave for that beautiful home.

When we get home to the mansions above,
With the loved ones gone over before,
Oh, who can tell what a joy that will be
There, to live and rejoice evermore:

Angels will praise, the Redeemer will smile,
And loved ones we’ll clasp by the hand;
Free from all pain, far beyond earthly stain,
We shall dwell in that beautiful land.

When we get home, when the morning is come,
And forth from the city of gold
Angels of God, coming down, shall call home
All of those who belong to His fold;
Will you be there, brother, loved ones to greet,
Or will you forever be lost?
What is thy choice, fleeting pleasures of earth,
Or a home when death’s river is crossed?

Refrain

When we get home, oh, when we get home,
Get home to glory land,
Praises we’ll sing to Jesus, our King,
A ransomed, a glorified band.

(Words by Charles Gabriel)

Songs of Heaven #17

Shadows

When we cross the valley there need be no shadows,
When life’s day is ended and its sorrows o’er;
When the summons comes to meet the blessèd Savior,
When we rise to dwell with Him forevermore.

When our loved ones leave us there need be no shadows,
If their faith is fixed in Jesus as their Lord;
For they go to be with Him Who died to save them,
To be with the One Whom they have long adored.

When He comes to meet us there need be no shadows,
When He comes in all His glorious array;
When the trump of God shall sound and loved ones waken,
When He leads us onward with triumphant sway.

Refrain

Shadows! no need of shadows
When at last we lay life’s burdens down;
Shadows! no need of shadows!
When at last we gain the victor’s crown.

(Words by Robert Harkness)

Songs of Heaven #16

When We All Get to Heaven

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace.
In the mansions bright and blessèd
He’ll prepare for us a place.

While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when traveling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.

Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.

Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.

Refrain

When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!

(Words by Eliza E. Hewitt)

Songs of Heaven #15

I Shall Be No Stranger There

When the pearly gates are opened
To a sinner “saved by grace,”
When thro’ everlasting mercy,
I behold my Savior’s face,
When I enter in the mansions
Of the city bright and fair,
I shall have a royal welcome,
For I’ll be no stranger there.

Thro’ time’s ever changing seasons,
I am pressing t’ward the goal;
’Tis my heart’s sweet native country,
’Tis the homeland of my soul;
Many loved ones, clothed with beauty,
In those wondrous glories share;
When I rise, redeemed, forgiven,
I shall be no stranger there.

There my dear Redeemer liveth,
Blessèd Lamb upon the throne;
By the crimson marks upon them,
He will surely claim His own.
So, whenever sad or lonely,
Look beyond the earthly care;
Weary child of God, remember,
You will be no stranger there.

Refrain

I shall be no stranger there;
Jesus will my place prepare;
He will meet me, He will greet me;
I shall be no stranger there.

(Words by Eliza Hewitt)

Songs of Heaven #14

The Beautiful Land

We have heard of a land on whose blue, ether skies
Not a cloud for a moment can stay;
And it needs not the sun in his splendor to rise
For the Lord is the light of its day;
We have heard of that land, and its glory we seek,
Where the faithful with Jesus shall dwell,
Where the roses of youth never fade from the cheek,
And the lips never murmur, “Farewell.”

We have talked of that land, when our journey was long,
And our hearts overburdened with care;
We have talked of the blest at the river of song,
And how oft we have sighed to be there;
And our faith has gone up, like a bird on the wing,
To that land on eternity’s shore,
Where the joy bells of Eden forever shall ring,
And the soul shall be weary no more.

We are nearing that land, we are nearing the gate,
To the city of jasper and gold,
Where the Savior to welcome His children doth wait,
And will gather them into the fold;
To the fold of His love, in the mansions above,
Where forever with Him they shall dwell,
And the eyes that were sad in His smile shall be glad,
And the lips never murmur, “Farewell.”

(Words by Fanny Crosby)

Songs of Heaven #13

We Speak of the Realms of the Blest

We speak of the realms of the blest,
That country so bright and so fair,
And oft are its glories confessed—
But what must it be to be there!
We speak of its pathway of gold—
Its walls decked with jewels so rare,
Its wonders and pleasures untold—
But what must it be to be there!

We speak of its freedom from sin,
From sorrow, temptation and care,
From trials without and within—
But what must it be to be there!
We speak of its service of love,
Of the robes which the glorified wear,
Of the church of the Firstborn above—
But what must it be to be there!

Our mourning is all at an end,
When, raised by the life-giving word,
We see the new city descend,
Adorned as a bride for her Lord;
The city so holy and clean,
No sorrow can breathe in the air;
No gloom of affliction or sin,
No shadow of evil, is there.

Do Thou, midst temptation and woe,
For Heaven my spirit prepare;
And shortly I also shall know
And feel what it is to be there.
Then o’er the bright fields we shall roam,
In glory celestial and fair,
With saints and with angels at home,
And Jesus Himself will be there.

(Words by Elizabeth K. Mills)

Songs of Heaven #12

What Must It Be to Be There!

We talk of the realms of the bless’d,
That country so bright and so fair,
And oft are its glories confess’d,
But what must it be to be there!

We talk of its pathways of gold,
Its walls decked with jewels so rare;
Its wonders and pleasures untold,
But what must it be to be there!

We talk of its freedom from sin,
From sorrow, temptation and care,
From trials without and within;
But what must it be to be there!

We talk of its peace and its love,
The robes which the glorified wear;
The songs of the blessèd above,
But what must it be to be there!

Refrain

Oh, what must it be to be there,
Oh, what must it be to be there;
With Jesus our Friend,
All eternity to spend,
Oh, what must it be to be there.

(Words and music by J. M. Kieffer)

Hymns #3 - All Things Praise Thee

All Things Praise Thee

All things praise Thee, Lord most high,
Heav’n and earth and sea and sky,
All were for Thy glory made,
That Thy greatness thus displayed
Should all worship bring to Thee;
All things praise Thee—Lord, may we!

All things praise Thee—night to night
Sings in silent hymns of light;
All things praise Thee—day to day
Chants Thy power in burning ray;
Time and space are praising Thee,
All things praise Thee—Lord, may we!

All things praise Thee—high and low,
Rain and dew and sparkling snow,
Crimson sunset, fleecy cloud,
Rippling stream, and tempest loud;
Summer, winter, all to Thee
Glory render—Lord, may we!

All things praise Thee—Heav’n’s high shrine
Rings with melody divine;
Lowly bending at Thy feet,
Seraph and archangel meet;
This their highest bliss, to be
Ever praising—Lord, may we!

All things praise Thee—gracious Lord,
Great Creator, powerful Word,
Omnipresent Spirit, now
At Thy feet we humbly bow;
Lift our hearts in praise to Thee;
All things praise Thee—Lord, may we!

(Words by George W. Conder)

Hymns #2 - Are You Witnessing for Him?

Are You Witnessing for Him?

Tell me, brother, worn and weary,
Toiling o’er life’s pathway dim,
Are you shedding light for Jesus,
Are you witnessing for Him?
Are you seeking for the sinners,
Those whom Jesus died to win?
Are you pointing to the fountain
That can wash away their sin?

Refrain

Tell me, brother, worn and weary,
Toiling o’er life’s pathway dim;
Are you shedding light for Jesus?
Are you witnessing for Him?

Are you watching by the wayside
For the fainting ones who fall?
Do you take them to the Savior,
Who has promised rest for all?
Do you love to tell of Jesus
More than all the world beside?
Does it bring a heav’nly blessing
With God’s people to abide?

Refrain

Have you made a consecration
Of your time and earthly store?
Have you placed them on the altar?
Then the Master asks no more.
Thus, O Christian, may we journey,
Showing forth the Savior’s praise,
With our lamps all bright and burning,
That the world may catch their rays.

Refrain

(Words by Alice M. Batchelder)

---

Hymns #1 - Adore and Tremble, for Our God

Adore and Tremble, for Our God

Adore and tremble, for our God
Is a consuming fire!
His jealous eyes His wrath inflame,
And raise His vengeance higher.

Almighty vengeance, how it burns!
How bright His fury glows!
Vast magazines of plagues and storms
Lie treasured for his foes.

Those heaps of wrath, by slow degrees,
Are forced into a flame;
But kindled, oh! how fierce they blaze!
And rend all nature’s frame.

At His approach the mountains flee,
And seek a watery grave:
The frighted sea makes haste away,
And shrinks up every wave.

Through the wide air the mighty rocks
Are swift as hailstones hurled;
Who dares engage His fiery rage
That shakes the solid world?

Yet, mighty God, Thy sovereign grace
Sits regent on the throne;
The refuge of Thy chosen race
When wrath comes rushing down.

Thy hand shall on rebellious kings
A fiery tempest pour,
While we beneath Thy sheltering wings
Thy just revenge adore.

(Words by Isaac Watts)

Storms

Looks like we may be in for some stormy weather tonight in NE Ohio. For years I have been afraid of storms. While a loud crack of thunder can still make my heart pound, I have learned to think about my all-powerful, wise Creator God who sends the storms, and Who also cares for my well-being. A favorite verse when a storm hits is Psalm 56:3, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee." Another verse (can't recall reference) speaks of "stormy wind fulfilling His Word."

Years ago we lived on West Spring Street in St. Marys, Ohio. The previous owners had failed to warn us of a rather unsettling occurrence. We experienced it for the first time one stormy night. The power went out, and we gathered at the living room window to watch the storm. Flashes of lightning revealed a startling sight--the street in front of our house was flooded, and the water was rising! We didn't know that a drain just down the street often got plugged, causing the water to back up even beyond our corner lot. We watched the water get higher and higher, nearly to the porch steps. Finally it stopped, and the next morning it was all gone, but we could see a "debris line" in the front yard. This occurred several other times while we lived there, during the daytime. The water was pretty deep--up to a car's bumper. We used to sit on the front porch watching the kids come home from school, some of them wading through the water, some plowing through on a bike. We also tried to warn cars about the depth of the water, as some had stalled on the street. Some turned around, others went ahead despite our warning.

It certainly is a comfort to know the God who is in control of everything, including storms. Also, He has given us many warnings in His Word about bad things that happen when we disregard His commands, yet so often we plow ahead anyway. I think in the future storms and storm warnings will be a reminder to heed God's Word.

Living to Minister - the King at Work

Pastor began the afternoon service with a definition of communion: trying to identify anything in my life that would stand in the way of being used by my Lord, such as sin. Then he said he realized he needed to go further in his self-examination to find things that are not so evident. One challenge is measuring ourselves by the attitude of the Lord Jesus. How do we maintain the pursuit of holiness and interact with the culture?

Pastor mentioned two great joys. The first was meeting with new believers or older believers who have begun to grow again, and included:

1. The freshness of discovery.
2. The simplicity of faith.
3. Honesty with struggles.
4. A zeal for progress. Their zeal can affect me. I have much to learn, and must
listen and learn.
5. Challenges with adjustment.

The second joy was being involved with the unchurched, and meeting with them in an "unofficial" setting. This joy included:

1. An openness of spirit--many people in our culture need someone to listen to
what they are articulating. It is not about the truth I know that I just "have"
to share. Do I have Christ's attitude, or do i cause resistance and/or shut
them out because I do not like something about them?

2. Unguarded expression. They will most likely say things I will not like.

3. Freedom of exchange--finding out where they are.

4. Exposure of the heart. What are they looking for? What do they know?

5. The reality of need. They all need Jesus. They know they need something,
but don't know what. We know what they need.

Ungodliness is not being like Christ. We must have a publican mindset at all times; a chief of sinners approach, rather than a pharasaical one. I have more knowledge about me than I do about anybody else, and know what a sinner I am.

Matthew 9:36-38 tells us how Christ dealt with the crowd who came to hear Him. First, we are told how to look at men--as fainting and scattered without a shepherd. He saw their hearts. Their souls were distressed and without direction. We cannot be drinking in from the reservoir of the culture and have the heart of Christ. That dulls our view of reality and causes us to think like the culture. His sensitivity reflected the heart of the Father. We will not have the heart of Christ if we do not have the eye of Christ. We must look past the externals. People's appearance is screaming that they need something. They need the Christ of the Scriptures.

Second, we are told how to feel about men--He had compassion on them. It was pity rather than anger or curiosity. There was no aversion, but compassion. There is no room for indifference. I need to pray this into my life. I must pray for the lost as well. Salt and light must come into contact with decay and darkness.

Third, we are told how to respond to men (v. 37-38). There must be patience growing out of lowliness of heart. We know God condemns pride. They need to see the spirit of Christ in me. I am to lift up Christ and He will draw men to Himself. People know when you don't approve and are pushing them away. There must also be a demonstration of forbearance--not giving up on people. How do we do when what is being said to us or about us is not true? Jesus never came to His own defense. There must also be meekness and gentleness extended.

Telling the Story of Jesus

This morning's Scripture text: Acts 13:16-52. Pastor laid a lengthy groundwork before actually getting to this passage because it is essential in telling others the good news of Christ.

Jesus became a man to perfectly fulfill His own law; He is a holy Savior. He pad man's sin debt on the cross fulfilling His own demands; He is a substitutionary Savior. He defeated death--physically, spiritually, and eternally--by rising again on the third day; He is a living, resurrected Savior. He returned to heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father, which assures us of eternal yope and earthside help; He is a high priestly Savior. He is the mediator between God and man, He will descend again as King and establish His rule over a new heaven and new earth; He is a ruling Savior.

I. The introduction to the gospel (vv. 16-25)
A. Salvation's plan was orchestrated by God. Paul goes clear back to
Abraham to show this. Truly history is His story.
B. Salvation's provision is offered by grace.

II. The content of the gospel (vv. 26-37)
A. Historic fact: Death & Resurrection
B. Prophetic fulfilling: David & The Redeemer

III. The offer of the gospel (vv. 38-41)
A. A witness: Forgiveness & Justification
B. A warning: Failure and Judgment

IV. The impact of the gospel (vv. 42-52)
A. Belief excites reception towards truth.
B. Unbelief fosters resentment against truth.

Songs of Heaven #11

Who Is He in Yonder Stall?

Who is He in yonder stall
At Whose feet the shepherds fall?
Who is He in deep distress,
Fasting in the wilderness?

Refrain

’Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!
’Tis the Lord! the King of glory!
At His feet we humbly fall,
Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

Who is He the people bless
For His words of gentleness?
Who is He to Whom they bring
All the sick and sorrowing?

Refrain

’Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!
’Tis the Lord! the King of glory!
At His feet we humbly fall,
Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

Who is He that stands and weeps
At the grave where Lazarus sleeps?
Who is He the gathering throng
Greet with loud triumphant song?

Refrain

’Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!
’Tis the Lord! the King of glory!
At His feet we humbly fall,
Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

Lo! at midnight, who is He
Prays in dark Gethsemane?
Who is He on yonder tree
Dies in grief and agony?

Refrain

’Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!
’Tis the Lord! the King of glory!
At His feet we humbly fall,
Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

Refrain

’Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!
’Tis the Lord! the King of glory!
At His feet we humbly fall,
Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

Who is He that from the grave
Comes to heal and help and save?
Who is He that from His throne
Rules through all the world alone?

Refrain

’Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!
’Tis the Lord! the King of glory!
At His feet we humbly fall,
Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

(Words by Benjamin R. Hanby)

Lessons from Nature, Part 1

My sons had Good Friday off work, so the three of us went to a local park we used to enjoy together quite often. The park had been closed for renovations for over a year, and recently reopened. I had been there several times, but the guys hadn't yet.

Hiking is nice there, but our favorite activity is hand-feeding the birds. We have had chickadees, tufted titmice, white-breasted and red-breasted nuthatches, and even a woodpecker (twice) come to get seeds from our hands. We stand patiently along the trail, listening for bird calls, whistling some back to them, and usually it isn't long before we hear and see them coming. They generally land somewhere near us, then pause before coming to stand on our hand/fingertips to grab a seed. It made me wonder how they determine whether to trust you enough to come to your hand. Is it part of their God-given instinct--are they able to determine that you mean no harm? What part does hunger play? Is that sometimes enough to help them overcome their fear of us? Sometimes they fight over which of them gets to come first, and may even chase off a bird already sitting on a hand.

It made me think of how our loving Heavenly Father waits patiently, His hands overflowing with the blessings He wants to bestow on us. Will I trust Him enough to take whatever He gives as a blessing, whether I perceive it as one or not? Do I have a hunger for His presence, or do I keep Him at arm's length, fearing to trust Him (or for some other reason)? Do I jockey for position in an attempt to get Him to notice me and gain His favor?