Sunday, August 22, 2010

His Eye is on the Sparrow

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall
to the ground apart from the will of your Father. -- Matthew 10:29-31

The photographer who captured the following pictures sold them for a nominal fee to the most famous newspaper in France. All copies of that edition were sold out on the day these pictures were published (Unfortunately, I don't know the photographer's name, so I can't credit him).

The pictures are truly extraordinary, and tell the heartrending story of the love and sorrow felt by a little male sparrow for his mate. She was hit by a car as she swooped low across a road and was injured and died soon after.

Here he brought her food and tended to her with love and compassion.

He brought her food again, but was shocked to find her dead.

He tried to move her ... a rarely-seen effort for swallows!

Aware that his mate is dead and will never come back to him again, he cries out with sorrow.

He stood beside her, not understanding what happened. Finally, aware that she would never return to him, he stood beside her body and sang his mournful song.

His Eye Is On the Sparrow

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Lyrics by Civilla D. Martin, 1905

7 comments:

RachelD said...

What a sweet sermon on Love and Commitment.

Those tiniest of hearts beat with some of the most overwhelming love.

Anonymous said...

Thank you many times over for often encouraging my heart. Your blog keeps me from wallowing many times in self-pity. God uses you probably more than you know.

Loui♥ said...

J~
simply beautiful!
hugs..
Loui♥

Pat@deepintheheart said...

Amen...
Beautiful post

nanny said...

How amazing....made me cry...poor sparrow! Those pictures are just unreal!

Jenni said...

Thanks so much for your post. As a singer and musician, "His Eye is on the Sparrow" has always held a special place in my heart. I loved the pics, too.

And to think that Jesus, the Almighty God of heaven, would take notice of a tiny sparrow that falls! How wonderful He is! Oh how He loves us!

Tonja said...

Stories and pictures like this serve to remind me of the unfathomable mind of God. It is so far above what we can even imagine. To think that he would cause these tiny birds to have such feelings for another bird. And, so many people say animals have no feelings of love and loyalty and grief and sorrow. These pictures just made me want to cry. What do the 'creatures' in our world really know and feel? As much as we think we know...we probably don't have a clue!
I just ran across a baby room that was designed around this song. They had a huge tree on the wall and sparrows sitting on the branches. The words "His eye is on the sparrow" were over the crib. And next to the tree was "and I know He watches me." So sweet!
Hope you have a wonderful week!