Not Forgotten
One morning as I was going about my usual routine of feeding our pets, I noticed that my zebra finches were not singing as boisterously as usual. I was hesitant to uncover their cages, afraid of what I might find.
A few months back we had lost one of our females during delivery of an egg. It was so sad, the male wasn't singing that morning. We found him quietly resting by her already stiffened body, refusing to leave. It was heart wrenching to lose her.
She had painstakingly carried those eggs, and we were looking forward to watching them hatch. Apparently, Spencer, her mate for life...was too. We immediately went that day and purchased another finch, but a male this time. We knew he was hurting over his loss.
We brought in one that was much younger then he, and named him Simon. They didn't hit it off right away, but in time they were best buds, building nest, and sleeping together on the plush flooring they put together in their new globe we installed. After a while, we acquired a male parakeet, named Mango. Mango seemed a little lonely, so I bought him a female, named Sky.
Now the finches, Spencer and Simon seemed a little miffed not having a female...so, you guessed it, I bought them their mates, Dodie and Sandy.
Immediately the pairs became impregnated, and we have had more then a dozen eggs or so laid since. However, one afternoon noticed that Spencer, and Simon were becoming extremely territorial and I had to separate the couples. This was difficult since it was hard to tell whose partner was whose, or which eggs belonged to who. However, there were sure tell tale signs of pecking marks on both youngest male and female. We took the youngest and moved them to their own housing.
Everything seemed fine. The pairs were matched, all was good, nesting still going on, and singing like crazy. Yet, that morning as I lifted the cover off the cages, noticed the young ones missing. I thought maybe they were deeply buried in their own nest, and or one had died, but no...they were just gone! Like Houdini, disappeared. How could this be? We do have cats, but they can't reach into the cage and snatch them up.
I had them hanging out side in the sunshine for a bit the prior day, when my husband brought the cages in. He didn't notice they were missing, and I certainly didn't examine the cage. The cover had been put in place and didn't give it a second thought...till that next morning. I thought maybe somehow the feeder window was left cracked and they got out through there. I started to put the other pair of finches outside, so Simon and Sandy would fly back to the sound of familiarity. A male finch never forgets his father's song according to scientist and other studies. And since Spencer had basically become Simon's caregiver, thought maybe he could draw him in...and in turn Simon could draw in his mate.
However, it was the morning of our first real cold front. It was too cold to put any of the birds outside. I couldn't leave their nest of eggs outside either, they would never survive. My husband had suggested I leave them out believing that surely the mother would come back. I placed their open cage outside with birdseed, and water in hopes they would fly back. Yet, I knew it was much too late. They were gone. I cried briefly, worried about them. How would they survive the cold? What about food? They've never had to hunt for food. Oh, and the cats.
What if they get viciously attacked? "Oh, Lord please protect my babies?" I cried. Nonetheless, sick with worry as the temperatures were dropping that day....I prayed for my little feather friends to come home to safety and security of their warm cages. As I was stressing over their departure, God reminded me of a passage I had read the week prior.
Luke: 12:6-7
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Did you catch that? NOT ONE is forgotten! I took this very personal as I read it aloud to myself once more. I am one of many in this world, and yet NOT even I am forgotten. My precious finches are not forgotten either.
He knows where they are, and will take care of them. After all, He created them, He knows what they have need of. And I'm guessing they never forget their Father's song.
Yet sometimes we as humans do. We forget our Father's song of hope, redemption, mercy, peace, love, encouragement, and strength. As humans we forget that we have not been forgotten. Our God is perfectly aware of every single one of us, every creation, every insect, animal, flower, mountain, and valley.
He feels, and He holds our tears…He keeps track of them (Psalm 56:8) just as a loving parent does. Do you not feel pain when you see your child hurting? I remember when we had to take our youngest for blood test as a toddler, and his tiny hand would not take the overly large needle the nurse repeatedly kept sticking him with. I couldn't believe the rage in my husband’s eyes and nearly in tears as he watched his son cry in pain.
When my son was five he was rushed to the emergency room hemorrhaging from a head injury at school, I was terrified! My son was in pain,losing blood, and losing strength. My heart pounded in my chest, my breathing was on hold…Is he going to be okay? Is he going to make it?
Do you not think that God’s sitting there watching us as we deal with difficult circumstances? He is on the sidelines saying, “Come on…you can get through this…live…I say LIVE! Don’t allow the enemy to steal your joy, divert you from my plan, fill you with fear, shut you down, paralyze the love I have instilled you! Listen to My voice, to My song!"
John 10:27
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
We sometimes may feel that God has forgotten us when we are suffering. It may feel as if He has totally abandoned us. Just as I think my poor birds may be feeling out in the cold with me unable to reach them. My heart still longs for them. Just like God, I haven't moved anywhere...I'm still here...prepared to welcome them home, to love them to safety...they just can't see me. They've chosen to live away. I can't force them to fly into my hands. They've forgotten how warm, and safe they had it.
They won't have the endless supply of their fruitful treats handed to them without effort. I will never forget them, I can't forget what I love, and I loved them.
And God hasn't forgotten you. He says, "Come home where there is an endless supply of refreshing water, where you'll never thirst.
Come home to where it is safe, where I can guard your heart. (Philippians 4:7)
John 4:14
"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
He wants you to know He is still here. Still watching, and waiting. He will NEVER forget you!
Isaiah 49:15
The Lord answers, “Can a woman forget the baby she nurses? Can she feel no kindness for the child to which she gave birth? Even if she could forget her children, I will not forget you.
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