GOD LOVES YOU AND!

 ‘Wilson’s Bird of Paradise’ photo by J.J. Harrison CC BY-SA 4.0.

There is nothing you can do about it!!!  This is my pastors favorite saying.  We hear it every Sunday!  It is true!  God uses every possible way to help you know this is true.  One of my favorite ways is to see His love for us is to look at the Natural World, the Book of Nature.  The world Jesus created!
‘The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him.’ Colossians 1:15-16.

Imagine for a moment Jesus bursting with love for you sitting at a table with a model of a bird! He is thinking, ‘I want to fill my loved ones with awe and show them with color and a dance so compelling that they can’t miss how much I love them.  It will be a metaphor of my love for my bride!  I’ll paint this bird with bright, florescent colors to show them how beautiful I am and dance an extraordinary dance to show my bride how much I care for her!’  I’ll have this bird sing her a song of my love for her and even clean all the debris from the forest floor to make sure she sees my every move and how much I want her.  Who is actually courting who?    
The bird He created is named ‘Wilson’s Bird of Paradise’!  It is native to Malaysia and Indonesia.  The people of these countries call this bird, ‘The Bird of the Gods’!  You can see why by looking at the photo above!!!  
You can click on the following link to watch the dance of this extraordinary bird:

Receive the metaphor and believe that you are the female bird, the ‘Bride of Christ’ and feel the love!

  ‘Rushing Clark’s Grebes’ photo by LHPT own work CC BY-SA 4.0.

Another bird that exhibits a remarkable courtship ritual is ‘Clark’s Grebes’.  (See photo above).

Again, picture Jesus designing a remarkable choreography revealing who He is and how He wants us to belong to Him!  These birds found on the Western lakes and coastline of the U.S., begin their ritual courtship dance by what is called, ‘ratchet pointing’, dipping their beaks in the water and pointing at one another!  And then, in a display of unity, they run on the water while slapping its surface with their feet up to 20 times per second!  Makes you want to run across the water with Jesus!  

I once wrote a poem: 

If not for you then who
This vast array of
Infinite perfections
Displayed on a singular bug.

The bugs don’t really need all their beauty.  The beauty is for us!  All of nature is one big metaphor!  One big lure, Jesus is courting us!!! 

Is it any wonder I met Jesus through the lens of my camera!?

As you watch these Grebes, ‘rushing’ on the water, think about why He created this elaborate ritual.  Did the birds really need it or is it actually for you?

Click on the following link to see this amazing courting ritual. ‘BBC Life:  The Grebes’

‘I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.’  Ephesians 3:16-19.

HE LOVES YOU!