The other day I spotted a Cardinal (the bird, not the clergyman) through the window. I’m used to seeing Cardinals in my backyard because they used to nest in our rosebush. But one year a predator attacked their nest in the middle of the night and none of the nestlings survived, since then no one has inhabited the rosebush. Well…except for a pair of Brown Thrashers who unaware of the danger, took up residence after the Cardinals left. Sadly, their nest was also attacked but thankfully one chick survived. After that, the rosebush has remained unoccupied for years.
Last year my husband trimmed back most of it. What remained was just a stump with a few branches, hardly the lush bush it once was. It no longer offered any privacy or protection. All hopes of birds nesting in it were gone. It was a permanent shutdown. The thriving avian maternity ward it once was, was relegated to my memories.
Until I noticed several stray twigs strewn on a branch. I didn’t think much of it at first. But as the haphazard pile grew, I wondered if it was the beginning of a new nest or the remnant of an abandoned one tossed about by the wind.
Oh happy day, when I saw the cardinal arrive with a fresh twig in his mouth. This was a new nest! The avian maternity ward has officially reopened!
I love nature! Everything about it reminds me of God’s majesty and thoughtfulness. Just watching birds build is awe-inspiring. They don’t have hands or an engineering degree, yet they make the perfect cup-shaped nests. It’s big enough to hold both the eggs and the chicks. How amazing is that? And where do they find all the supplies they need? I’ve never seen a bird run out of materials. They always find enough twigs and leaves to build their nurseries.
I marvel at the way God created the male Cardinal. He helps build the nest, feeds his mate while she’s laying the eggs, helps feed the chicks, stands vigil and guards the nest. Perched on the branches of a tree, far away from the nest yet close enough to keep an eye on it.
His red body ensures all eyes are on him. The color of his feathers a vibrant contrast to the greens and browns of the tree. Drawing your eyes towards him and away from the nest where his mate is safely camouflaged. The pale brown of her feathers blending in with her nest and the branches of the rosebush. Her only tell is the orange of her beak. She’s well hidden and he’s a bright red target. It’s amazing how God thought of every detail when he created these birds.
Nature is God’s canvas, it points to the awesomeness and brilliance of God. It’s a glimpse of the perfect world He created and what the Garden of Eden must have been like. I can’t admire it without praising Him.
God is good and His goodness is evident everywhere. I’m thankful to a God who not only takes care of me but also every creature that calls the earth home.