Today’s scripture: There is no reading from the Bible today. Read on to the end for another way to hear a word from God.
My thoughts (Melody Merida):
On our last full day in Uganda we were exhausted and completely spent. There wasn’t one of us who didn’t want to go home. We were eager to take a shower, to drink a cold beverage, to wear something other than a skirt. But we didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to take a cruise down the Nile River to view the breathtaking Murchison Falls, which was showcased in the film Out of Africa.
As we slowly made our way down the river we were greeted with some of the most amazing wildlife I’m sure I will ever see. There is nothing like seeing hippos only a few yards away charging toward your boat. Words can’t describe the feeling I got in such a setting.
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At the start of our boat ride we could barely contain ourselves so we spoke incessantly. “Look at this!” “Oh, did you see that?!” The 13 of us could scarcely believe our eyes. But about an hour into the ride we began to settle down and soak in everything we were experiencing. Things grew a bit quieter and in my head I began to sing a song of praise to the Creator of this earth.
In those moments I heard the voice of God speaking to me. The voice came to me when we stopped the boat along the shoreline to view some of the most amazing birds I’ve ever seen; brightly colored, tiny little things singing their songs as they passed over our heads. I was surprised that it was the birds that God used to speak to me because I’m not particularly a fan (I have Alfred Hitchcock to blame for that). But there was no mistaking the message I was receiving.
As I watched the birds I knew that God’s love for me, for all of us, was immense. God didn’t have to create those birds so beautifully adorned; God didn’t need to make thousands of species of birds with bright reds, greens, blues, and yellows. But God did because of such enormous love for us; so that we could live in a world of great beauty. This is precisely what I heard God whispering in my ear — that this beautiful earth was created for me and for you! What love is this?! For many of these species of birds their coloring serves no purpose other than to delight the human eye. God’s love for us knows no bounds. Even the birds of the air whisper sweet nothings in our ears.
Thought for the day: Take a look at the beauty of creation around you and pause to recognize God’s love for you within its splendor. “This is for you, my child,” whispers God within every song a bird sings. Stop and listen.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.