Luke 12:6-7 NIV
“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
INSIGHT
-Sparrows are colored birds that are widespread throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and America. They are symbolic is a concoction of Biblical events, and here they remind us of God’s love for His creation. Jesus says that sparrows are important birds and He remembers each one of them. Further that, we are far more valuable than the sparrows, and God has numbered all our hair. Isaiah 49:15-16 reiterates these statements saying, “can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! see, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. The Lord reminds us of His unending love for us. His love for us cannot be compared to anything that He gave His only begotten Son for us. The Lord calls us to have faith in Him and not to worry about anything but to rejoice in His love, for by worrying no one can add a single hour to his life.
PRAYER
Lord You are our Father and Friend, thank You for loving us and choosing us. You are our Lord and Savior, thank You Jesus for dying on the cross for our sins. May You forgive us all our sins and remember them no more. Lord You are our Refuge and Strength, we rest secure in You. You shield us all day long, and the one You love rests between Your shoulders. Thank You Jesus for reminding us that we are more valuable that sparrows. Thank You for blessing us and sustaining us. Thank You for all You have done for us throughout this entire year. We give You all our thanks and praise. You are wonderful Lord, You are loving Jesus, You are precious Holy Spirit. May You remember all those who are undertaking their exams and grant them success. May You heal the hearts of all those who are bereaved. May You hear our prayers loving Savior and answer our hearts desires. We pray all this believing and trusting in Jesus name. Amen
Further reading: Matthew 6:26-27, John 3:16
Psalms 84:1-4 NIV
“How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.”
INSIGHT
-The psalmist uses symbolism to explain the need to be in the presence of God. Some sparrow species have adapted to depend on humans and others survive on their own, and by the grace of God they find food and shelter. Like the sparrow which finds a home in God’s house, so is the need for each one of us to be in God’s presence. The psalmist explains his deep desire to be close to God saying, “my soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” Psalms 42:1-2 also exposes this same desire saying, “as the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” In God’s presence is where all created beings belong, with the Maker of the heavens and the earth. In the presence of God we find rest (Exodus 33:14), and peace in every situation.
PRAYER
You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy Lord. In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. As a deer pants for streams of water, my soul thirsts for You Lord our living God. My soul yearns, even faints, for Your courts Lord, my heart and my flesh cry out for You our living God. May Your revival become manifest in our nation and other nations of the world according to Your divine wish Lord. May our leaders find salvation in You Lord our God so that they may follow after Your statutes. May our youth find wisdom from You Lord that they may shun away from evil and follow You. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forever more. Amen
Further reading: Jeremiah 29:13
Hosea 11:11 NIV
“They will come from Egypt, trembling like sparrows, from Assyria, fluttering like doves. I will settle them in their homes,” declares the Lord.”
INSIGHT
-The sparrow here symbolizes swiftness of return and the sure action by the Lord to settle His beloved. The sparrow and dove have this in common, that they are very timorous, and tremble at any noise, and fearful of everything that disturbs them, and therefore make all the haste and speed they can to get out of the way. Though, it may be, these figures may only signify, as the weak and impotent state of the Jews, considered in themselves at that time, so the quick speed and haste they shall make to their own land. Our God is slow to anger, and is loth to abandon a people to utter ruin, who have been called by His name. Jesus calls us when we are weak to cast our burdens unto Him for He cares for us, and He will never let the righteous be shaken (Psalms 55:22).
PRAYER
You are Holy Lord, You are Righteous, You are awesome in majesty and power. Holy holy holy are You Lord God Almighty, Who was; Who is and Who is to come. May You make us holy dear Jesus. May You make us righteous Abba Father. May You heal all our wounds, be it physical, psychological, financial, economic, social, spiritual and make us whole precious Holy Spirit. We submit all our cares and burdens unto You for You are our Father, our all in all, and You care for us. You will never let the righteous be shaken, we bless Your holy name. We come to You Jesus in our burdens that You may give us rest. Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light, may You grant us rest in every difficult situation that we are going through. May You heal all those who are sick and suffering among us dear Jesus. May You deliver all the street children and give them a better life as they pursue their purposes. You are our loving God and none can be likened to You. As You delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, may You make a way for us to prosper and succeed in everything that we do and plan to achieve. May You make a way for us in the mountains and part the Red sea for us to achieve all that You have called us to do. Thank You Jehovah for this far that You have brought us and the far that You are taking us. We love You Lord and bless Your name. In Jesus name we pray. Amen
Further reading: Isaiah 60:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Proverbs 26:2 NIV
“Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.”
INSIGHT
-Like a fluttering sparrow which makes a series of cheep or chirrup notes and occurs to be utterances of cursing words. A darting swallow also flies over ones head, so is a person who is cursed without cause. The curse shall do him no more harm. Nehemiah 13:1-2 tells us that no Ammonite or Moabite was to be admitted in the presence of the Lord because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. The God who changed the curse against His children into blessing, is the same God is working in us is changing every curse against us into a blessing. Jesus recommends that we should bless those who curse us, and pray for those who mistreat us (Luke 6:28). We are the blessed of the Lord and no curse shall work upon us. We should trust in the Lord and not faint for cursed in the man who trusts in man but blessed is the man who puts his trust in the Lord whose confidence is in Him. Isaiah 54:17 confirms that, no weapon fashioned against us will prevail, and no tongue that accuses us shall prevail because this is our heritage and the Lord vindicates us.
PRAYER
Blessed are You Lord God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Thank You for blessing us and choosing us as a royal priesthood and holy nation. Thank You for blessing us and calling us out of darkness into Your wonderful light. Whoever You have blessed Lord, no man can curse. May You open doors for us that no man can shut. May You establish us in Your will that no man can alter. Our Father who art in heaven; hallowed be Your name; Your Kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptations but deliver us from evil; for thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory; forever and ever. Amen
Further reading: Ephesians 1:3, Philippians 4:19
Psalms 102:7-13 NKJV
“I lie awake, and am like a sparrow alone on the housetop. My enemies reproach me all day long; Those who deride me swear an oath against me. For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping, Because of Your indignation and Your wrath; For You have lifted me up and cast me away. My days are like a shadow that lengthens, And I wither away like grass. But You, O Lord, shall endure forever, and the remembrance of Your name to all generations. You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come.”
INSIGHT
-The Psalmist describes the effects of his distress through the analogy of a lonely sparrow on the top of a house. Sparrow normally dwell together in host and when one is isolated, it is associated with grief. His trouble drives sleep from my eyes, and keep him awake at night. We bless the Lord our Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation. God loves us and gives sleep to His beloved, and so we praise His holy name.
SUMMARY
Sparrows are small birds and nest in diverse areas in the world. They are classified into different types according to their appearance and geographical habitation, and they include: the Fox Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, White-Crowned Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Golden-Crowned Sparrow, White-Throated Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Clay Colored Sparrow, Leconte’s Sparrow, Olive Sparrow, Slate Dark Eyed Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Brewer’s Sparrow, Male House Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Oregon Dark Eyed Sparrow, and the Black Throated Sparrow. They remind us of God’s love for us and that we are more valuable than many sparrows. God knows the number of hair on our heads and calls us to have faith in Him (Luke 12:6-7). The Lord feeds the birds of the air yet they neither sow nor reap, or store food in barns but our Father feeds them. God reminds us that we are more valuable than them and that we should not worry about anything for by doing so no one can add a single hour to their lives (Matthew 6:26-27). Our love for God should therefore be unrivalled as we find pleasure in His presence. Psalms 84:1-4 tells us that sparrows find a home in the courts and altar in God’s house. Like sparrows, the Lord calls us to hunger for Him and to dwell in His presence always. The Lord also uses symbolism to show His value for the Israelites who are viewed to come from Egypt trembling like sparrows. The Lord declares in Hosea 11:11 that He will settle them in their homes. God is our helper, redeemer and deliverer, and He desires to grant us rest like the Israelites amidst our cares and struggles of life.
PRAYER
Abba Father our Lord and God we thank You and bless Your name. Thank You for loving us and for Your tender mercies upon us. May You cleanse us from every sin and trespass, and wash us with Your precious blood. Thank You for directing our steps and taking delight in our lives. Though we may stumble, we will never fall, for You dear Jesus holds us by Your hand. Dear Lord we thank You for reminding us of Your unfailing love and concern towards our affairs that we are more valuable than many sparrows. Thank You Lord Jesus for Your love and mercy. May You bless us and keep us Lord. May Your face shine upon us and be gracious unto us. May You turn Your countenance towards us and give us peace. Amen
Further reading: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4