“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” 1 Peter 2:2 KJV
Recently, I was privileged to keep Tirol, Tory and T-Rex – 3 baby linnies – while my family was away on holiday.
Like all babies these little guys had to be fed regularly and if they thought I was too slow in bringing their food, they were very vocal. No, I didn’t have to chew up worms to feed them! Instead, nice powdered formula was left with me along with specific instructions as to how to turn it into baby bird food. It would seem that if they were actually starving, as they tried to make me believe, they would take whatever was given them but no, the formula had to be just the right temperature and just the right consistency.
Tirol, the oldest, is a boy and he was sure he should be fed first. There he was, trying to climb the glass of the incubator, chirping loudly and trying to be first. T-Rex, a little girl, is several days younger and, therefore smaller and less feathered out. She was my favourite – not because she was prettier (Baby birds at this age lack somewhat in the beauty category) but because she was smaller. As I reached into the incubator hoping for T-Rex, more than likely Tirol would try to get into my hand. When he wasn’t chosen first he really put up a fuss.
Meanwhile, out on the mat where such little creatures must be set, little T-Rex would be lunging and chirping trying to get to the spoon. Oh, yum! That spoon had really good stuff on it – at least from a linnie’s perspective.
It is interesting to feed such little creatures. They don’t have enough feathers to hide their crop. It looks something like a deflated balloon and you can literally see it fill up. As the crop fills up the baby becomes less hungry and finally it will let the formula run down the front of him/her.
When T-Rex is full then it is time for Tory to have her share. Again it is a contest because Tirol is still certain he is going to starve if he doesn’t eat NOW. When all are full, they are content to put themselves in a pile in their incubator and have a nap.
As I was feeding these little creatures I thought about my own hunger for God’s word. Do I always turn to the Word first thing each day? Do I eagerly search for God’s promises? Probably none of us are as avid for the Word as Tyrol, Tory and T-Rex are for their food. But SHOULDN’T WE BE?
Father, please help me to hunger and thirst for your Word, for the things you want me to do and your promises and be as dedicated to my worship as these little Linnies are for their food. Amen.
Wynona Gordon