Seeing beauty and a guiding hand in a bluebird's wing
The bluebirds looked beautiful in their nest in our back yard.
They were growing feathers on their wings. The dark blue colors were eye-catching.
Our bird house has a door we can open to check on them and then shut securely.
Seeing the intricate way these birds are crafted makes me ponder. The world around us is full of wonders. The works of our Creator are evident in animal and plant life. We swim in the stream of amazing dimensions of life. We are often so busy with our iPhone that we do not notice what is going on around us. We can choose to take the time to see daily marvels.
The precise design of this bluebird wing is a blueprint for flight. The feathers are light but strong and flexible. The outside feathers are the contour ones. They give color and shape.
They overlap like shingles on a roof. They shed the rain and keep the body dry and insulated. The largest feathers are the primary ones and propel the bird through the air.
The secondary feathers which run down the front edge of the wing give the energy of lift and the ability to sustain flight. The tail feathers help to steer and give balance so the bird can turn in the air. The delicate configuration of feathers makes bird flight possible.
A reductionist view of bird feathers might give all the credit to evolutionary biology.
It is true that life forms do evolve. The question is how this evolutionary process can be so beautiful, productive, and orderly. I view evolution as a purposeful process used by our Creator still constructing marvels on his eighth day of creation.
Watching birds fly inspires me. The manner they can twist, turn, and rapidly elevate is amazing. They bring me joy to hear their birdsong. They also instruct me to be active and attentive with life’s tasks. They are at work preparing nesting materials, gathering worms for food and providing for their little ones. Birds are never guilty of laziness and neglect of their young. They joyfully live with diligence and a watchful eye for predators.
I have a problem of worry about things outside my control. Taking time to observe the birds increases my trust in our Creator. Matthew 6:26 says, “Look at the birds of the air, they neither sow, reap, nor gather into barns yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
Feathers teach me to have faith in God. The Divine engineering involved in a small bird wing and feathers brings awe and wonder. Since God invests so much into feathers surely God equips us with abilities needed to handle our concerns. He has carefully formed us. When we seek to do what is righteous and work diligently with our daily duties we can be assured that God will help us. Feathers are incredible and tell a message of wisdom and wonder.
Cliff Rawley lives in Springfield.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Seeing beauty and a guiding hand in a bluebird's wing