Since December, I’ve been counting the days until spring—not wishing my days away, but rather looking forward. You see, my hubby gave me a bluebird house for Christmas. He put the pole in the ground before the freeze and then in mid-February, He attached the house so it would be ready for spring. I hoped to have new neighbors finding a home.
It didn’t take long before I got some bird action. February 11th, there were several bluebirds in the yard checking out the new real estate. They hung out on branches, flying from the front to the backyard. A cute couple landed on the house checking out the roof.
And I began to feel hopeful that my first bluebird house might have a family moving in. Maybe we would have new neighbors after all.
Gray days came and went, yet I went to the window every morning to check. I began talking to the potential neighbors in hopeful tones.
I’ve prepared a nice place for you.
It’s a quiet neighborhood other than a weekly lawn mowing.
I do hope you decide to move in.
I began to feel hopeful that my first #bluebirdhouse might have a family moving in. Maybe we would have new neighbors after all. #PreparingAPlace Click To Tweet
Three weeks went by without a sighting.
On a particularly nice day this week, sun shining, and warm temperatures, our house hunters appeared again. They spent the better part of the morning enjoying the scenery and amenities. Lots of perching spots. His and Her clothesline posts with spectacular views. An open field with room to exercise. And quiet neighbors.
When they returned for a second day, my hopes rose. And why not?
I have prepared a place for you. It’s perfect for a young family, I encouraged.
I Go To Prepare A Place For You
How like God to give me a glimpse of something He has done for us. Jesus came and walked among us and He said to His followers, “I go to prepare a place for you.”
I wondered recently about this. Wasn’t Heaven already there? Weren’t many conversations regarding eternity with Nicodemus and others about the place prepared for God’s people?
As I pondered this, and new layer of understanding emerged. Heaven is there. God is on His throne. The missing piece was our ability to access it because of sin. Our separation from God due to His holiness and our sin kept us out.
But Jesus, preparing a place for us paved the way for us to enter the veil, the holy place. His sacrifice on the cross and resurrection covered our debt. The veil of the temple that separated God and man was torn in two from top to bottom.
Jesus prepared the way because He IS the way.
So will my bluebird family choose to accept my invitation to move in? I’m not sure yet. I have prepared the way. I have provided the place. But ultimately, they need to choose whether to receive the gift of this protection to care for their family.
Watching For Their Arrival
Something else came to mind as I hastened to the window each morning to watch for my feathered friends.
Our Heavenly Father is like the father whose son left home with his inheritance and later found himself without food or a place to lay his head. His father watched the road every day in hopes that his son would return. Days became weeks. Weeks to months. Months to years. Yet the father never failed to keep his eye on the road in hopes he would see his son again.
God is like that with us.
We may run away. We may hide. We may make excuses or hang onto our reasons why we don’t believe. We might think we can do without His help.
But, He continues to keep His eye on us—the ones He loves, hoping we will return home.
We may hide. We may make excuses or hang onto our reasons why we don't believe. We might think we can do without His help. But, He continues to keep His eye on us. #GodIsWaitingWatching4U #FindingHome Click To Tweet
Home is Waiting For Us
He has prepared a place for us—one of safety and peace. A place of provision. His covering for sin. A place of belonging both here in this life and for eternity to come. And like my bluebird friends, we simply need to decide to accept His offer of a home.
He has prepared a place for us. And Like my bluebird friends, we simply need to decide to accept His offer of a home. Click To Tweet
The peace Jesus brings is SHALOM, wholeness in every area of life. That is something our world is in desperate need of.
I’ll keep you posted on the bluebird house…and the new neighbors.
Let me know how God is speaking to you today (you can share a comment below),
Jeanne
The #peace Jesus brings is #SHALOM, wholeness in every area of life. That is something our world is in desperate need of. Click To Tweet
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A beautiful reminder , Jeanne……..He has a place prepared. How sweet …..you check each morning from the window. Your yard, home is a lovely place of Shalom…..for this little family.
Thanks, Mom…hoping they will move in 🙂
I am excited to see what God has prepared for us… the detail and beauty of the earth he created for us sometimes leaves me speechless…..what would heaven be like, where there is no sin or decay… come Lord Jesus come. Thank you for the beautiful reminder Jeanne
Yes, Karen. Come, Lord Jesus. There are so many who need to hear the Good News. Praying that many will hear His words of love and grace. Thanks for stopping by today.
I too like you love my birds….I find that this year so far not many are around. We usually have some all winter long but not this past winter. I am looking forward to them coming back. As I was thinking about this sometimes we go through seasons where we just feel like we are alone. We wait in anticipation. He has a place prepared for us waiting for our homecoming.
Amen, Lyn. I love the images He gives in nature as a reminder of His provision and care. Thanks for sharing your thoughts
What a lovely reminder, Jeanne. Thank you.
Thanks for stopping in today, Diana. Spring is coming…and I love this time of year. New beginnings. New life. And warm days filled with beauty
I love this analogy about you preparing a home for blue birds and the heavenly home prepared by God for His children. I have come to look on blue birds as winks from God that say: “I see you”, “Just to make you smile” “I know you are hurting.” Jesus promised to never abandon us, and the sight of the little blue bird is His loving confirmation to me.
Thank you, Jeanne.
Sharlet, I love those sweet words of love reminders. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I will let you know if they move in 🙂
Such a wonderful analogy Ms. Jeanne. Thank you for sharing the lessons God was teaching you. As I was reading how you would look out the window each morning, I thought about how Jesus looks out at from the “window of Heaven” and asks, “Daddy, is it time yet?” Of course, He knows the answer, but continues to obey the Father. God’s blessings ma’am.
You are so right, J.D… We find ourselves saying, come Lord Jesus. Yet how patient the Father is. He doesn’t want any to perish.yet His time will come. In the fullness of time. Thanks for your thoughts today