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The Joy of Birds

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by Caryl MollToday I’d like to tell you about a little quirk of mine that has become quite central to my life during the many months of lockdown.Some of you will know that I absolutely LOVE birds - all of them!  For the past couple of years, whenever I hear or see any bird, I am stopped in my tracks. They have become a constant reminder of the presence of God’s Holy Spirit.  Please don’t get me wrong, I DON’T think birds are a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. They are merely constant reminders that “GOD IS NEAR”; that “HE CARES FOR US ALL”, and that that there are always lessons to learn about life. There have been odd occasions, during church services, when I’ve become distracted by the “twittering from the sanctuary’s rafters”. I’ve stifled giggles when the Mynahs have almost over-powered the sermon.  Sometimes the gaggles of the guinea fowl - from the open plot next to the church - have led to my distraction. At these times, I resolve to meditate and revert into silent prayer;“Thank you Lord for filling this place with your presence… Thank you especially for the birds you have created and the meaning they bring to my life. Thank you for reminding me that you are always with me.”At home, in the early mornings, we are often woken by the sweet melodies of the Karoo thrushes outside our bedroom window. Sometimes we lie in and watch the smaller finches through the glass. They love to dust themselves off in the leaves of the Lemon-scented- Verbena bush. It’s a rustic effort to rid themselves of mites – ingenious!  The bird feeder in my garden has become a strong source of “entertainment” over lockdown. We actively encourage birds to visit us during this time and we learn a lot from them too. Every morning they receive a tray of delectable offerings. Some birds wait in the branches above my head while I put the food out for them.  Some call when I am late with their breakfast.There are so many Biblical texts about birds – from the Creation account, to the various symbolism and analogies in the various books of the Bible. (Just do a search and you will see how significant God views the birds.) He even reminds us that we have so much to learn from them. Yes, one of my favourite passages is:Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:25)From the dullish LBJ’s (Little Brown jobs) to the elaborate Turacos and the very common Hadedah Ibises, I am innately drawn to them. I marvel at their ability to fly and to adapt to whatever environment they find themselves in.  Survival is uppermost for them as they make the most of life. Some migratory birds fly up to 5000km across continents to follow the seasons. Some penguins swim up to…

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At the Cross

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Guest Postby John DoyleJohn 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and he said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’” I was reading the story of Fanny Crosby who at times struggled to find peace. Born in 1820, she had been blinded while still an infant. Yet instead of making her blindness an excuse, she became one of history’s great hymn writers. Even though she had become a believer as a child, as a young girl she felt that something was missing. In November 1850, she joined other Christians attending Revival meetings. Hungry for more, she returned, night after night. Then, on November 20, she had a breakthrough while the congregation sang “Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed,” a hymn written by Isaac Watts in 1707. Watts wrote this hymn to express how deeply he realized that he owed everything to God. “Alas! and did my Savior bleed, and did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?” Watts was amazed that “Christ, the mighty Maker, died for for all mankind, and paid the penalty for their sins.” It seems like his heart was dissolved in Thankfulness, and brought him to tears. He seemed like he found himself “at the Cross where I first saw the light, and the burden of my heart rolled away.” We can imagine how Fanny Crosby, in her blindness, would respond to Watts’ inspiring words that “It was there by faith I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day.” As she sang the last verse, she was stirred by the hymn’s words: “Here, Lord I give myself away ‘tis all that I can do.” Realizing that she needed to yield herself fully to Jesus, she later recalled, “I surrendered myself to the Savior, and my very soul flooded with celestial light. I sprang to my feet, shouting ‘Hallelujah!” Today, as we draw close to Easter Weekend think about all that Jesus has done for you. Just like He surrendered all for you and I, it would be so fit for us to Surrender all we are to Him. He is the Lamb of God who died for you and He has taken away your every sin. When John saw him that day he shouted out "Behold the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the World" May that be something that we will follow this coming Easter time and "not be ashamed of the Gospel" (Death, Burial and Resurrection of Christ) but declare that Jesus is the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the World. Can you think of something you will say to Jesus when you see Him in glory one day? I would love to say to Him - Behold the Lamb of God Who took away my sin and because of your death on the Cross Lord, I am with you in Glory. Thank you Jesus. My prayer for today.Dear Lord Jesus, thank…

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Songs for Easter

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by Graham MolWhen it comes to Easter there is certainly no shortage of worship songs that focus on the message of the Cross and the Resurrection. This is with good reason too. Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection is the heart of the Gospel message. Countless song writers have been inspired by the depth of Christ's love, the cost of forgiveness and the power and glory of the resurrection. In light of this fact I have decided to put together a short playlist (a bit under an hour's worth) of songs that tell and reflect upon the story of Easter. I pray that as you listen to these songs in the days leading up to Easter, they would help you appreciate the depth of Christ's love and sacrifice, and the joy and exultation of His victory over death and the grave as He rose. Beginning with the cries of Hosanna! that welcomed Jesus into the city of Jerusalem, the songs move from Christ's obedience to the will of God to the passion of His love displayed on the Cross and ends with the upbeat rhythms of joy in declaring "Hallelujah, Jesus is alive!"You can listen to the playlist on YouTubeOr on Spotify God BlessGraham

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Thorn in the Flesh

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by Caryl MollWe have a beautiful, 30-year-old White Stinkwood tree in our garden. It’s very tall now, and its branches stretch out in lavish celebration of the role it plays in our lives. Not only does it provide shade, but it is home to a myriad of visiting birds, including a pair of nesting Starlings.  In the summer time, Rameron pigeons leisurely scout its upper branches for seasonal berries. Some nights, I wonder out into the garden with a torch to take in the beauty of this tree and also to spot the variety of birds that seek shelter in its branches. I love our tree.Our tree has been through a lot over the years, including a re-planting when it was very young (to make space for our swimming pool). Since then, it has survived many seasons and many storms. About five years ago, it fell victim to one of Johannesburg’s notorious and furious thunderstorms. As the storm raged, we heard a mighty “C-RACK!” coming from the garden. It left us all shivering. When things had finally settled down, we ventured out to see what had happened. What a sight!Half of our tree was lying across the boundary wall. Effectively, the tree had been split in half by the storm and its large stem and branches had rearranged my neighbour’s garden and driveway. I couldn’t believe how big it was and the damage its mass had caused. We had to call in tree fellers to clear up the mess. It took a few truck loads.But what were we to do with the remaining half of the tree? It looked fairly secure. In the end we decided to give it the benefit of the doubt and left it to heal…Today, our tree occupies centre stage in our garden. It’s a wonderful specimen and continues to bless us with vibrancy and interesting occupants.A couple of days ago I ventured out to spend some time in its shade. It has grown so big again. Really flourishing! I decided to give it a ‘hug’ to see how wide its girth had grown, but it’s now too big for my arms to fit around. Instead, I got to study it from all angles. And this led me to an incredible discovery…Although the tree has healed up nicely, its scar is still very evident. But I also discovered a long, steel rod trapped inside its base. (My gardener must have left it there at some stage over the past five years.) To my amazement, the tree has made a plan to deal with the rod. …  It has literally embraced the rod and grown its stem around it. The tree’s silent strength is evident in the fact that the rod is now bent at an amazing angle. It has literally crushed it into place and there’s no way to detach it.  I can’t believe how a STEEL rod can be bent by the slow growth of one of God’s incredible life forms…our tree!  How had I…

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