This picture is from my granddaughter, Elizabeth (Lizzy). As usual, I think she has a unique take on things, as the angle of this tree testifies. When I saw this one, I thought of the walk I had with my dogs this morning and how the birds in the trees were especially full of chatter. I couldn't see them, of course, but my imagination ran wild. My mind went back to numerous dog-walks, particularly a number of them where we stopped at the bottom of Palamino Drive to view our friend Jasper the squirrel holding on to the bottom of the tree and eyeing us intently. Not for a few seconds, mind you, but for SEVERAL MINUTES!!! As I pondered these things I recalled a very recent Bible Reading; here is the passage I remembered...
Psalm 50
1 The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, speaks,
and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines out.
3 Our God comes, and does not keep silent.
A fire devours before him.
It is very stormy around him.
4 He calls to the heavens above,
to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather my saints together to me,
those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
6 The heavens shall declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge.
Selah.
7 “Hear, my people, and I will speak;
Israel, and I will testify against you.
I am God, your God.
8 I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices.
Your burnt offerings are continually before me.
9 I have no need for a bull from your stall,
nor male goats from your pens.
10 For every animal of the forest is mine,
and the livestock on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the mountains.
The wild animals of the field are mine. 12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls,
or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
Pay your vows to the Most High.
15 Call on me in the day of trouble.
I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines out.
3 Our God comes, and does not keep silent.
A fire devours before him.
It is very stormy around him.
4 He calls to the heavens above,
to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather my saints together to me,
those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
6 The heavens shall declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge.
Selah.
7 “Hear, my people, and I will speak;
Israel, and I will testify against you.
I am God, your God.
8 I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices.
Your burnt offerings are continually before me.
9 I have no need for a bull from your stall,
nor male goats from your pens.
10 For every animal of the forest is mine,
and the livestock on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the mountains.
The wild animals of the field are mine. 12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls,
or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
Pay your vows to the Most High.
15 Call on me in the day of trouble.
I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
God loves animals; they are HIS!!! But HIS priority is our well-being. Our desire to please HIM is HIS DESIRE!!! HE WANTS US more than all the animals put together. If you have any doubt about this, read verse 15 again. I guess I loved Lizzie's picture so much because it was taken from Jaspers' perspective. Perhaps putting yourself in a lowly animals place is a good thing, because that is what God did with us. Jesus humbled himself and became like us to save us from our own foolishness, stubbornness and SIN. Look at the picture once more and THINK. If you don't feel humble, you need to keep looking. Doesn't do it for you?? OK, try thinking NUTS!!!
ps. Thanks Lizzie, for being YOU!!!