His Eye is on the Sparrow

“His Eye is on the Sparrow”

-- Liz Silcock

Whenever we look out of our window we are very likely to see a sparrow, either flitting past or hopping across the ground. These little grey-brown garden birds are one of New Zealand’s most common species. They live off seeds, small insects and worms, and are so friendly that we can sometimes see them pecking at the scraps left on the plates in a cafe. They build their nests in trees and hedges, and even around buildings. Sparrows are found all over the world.

Can you believe that there are estimated to be 10,000 to 13,000 different bird species in the world and 200 to 400 billion individual birds at the present time? Birds far outnumber people because the World Population Clock showed that in July 2021 there were about 7.9 billion people on our planet.

These kind of numbers can make our head spin around, but the amazing thing is that the Bible tells us that God sees every single little bird. He made each and every one, He feeds them, provides homes for them and He watches over them until they die and fall to the ground. So, if God cares so much for the little common garden sparrow, how much more does He care for us?

Jesus asked that question: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26).

Life in Israel was hard when Jesus walked on earth. Like most of His people He came from a humble family who had to work hard to make a living. They were also living under the occupation of the cruel Roman government, and so they were fearful of a lot of things. How could they survive? How could they pay their taxes? How could they keep out of trouble from the Roman soldiers? Why did God allow the bad things that were happening in their country? Did He really care for them?

Jesus wanted to assure them that God really did love them, and so they should not fear but put their trust in Him.

On another occasion He used the sparrows as an example of God’s care for them. In those days sparrows and other small birds would be caught and plucked 16

and eaten. They were sold in the market. They provided only a mouthful but they were very cheap – two for a penny (about 1cent today) or the bargain price of five for two pennies. Jesus said, “Aren’t two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground. Even the hairs on your head are counted. So don’t be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows (Matthew 10:29-31).

There are billions more birds on earth than people, but if God is watching over each little bird we can be sure that He is always watching over us because we are so much more valuable to Him than a bird. In fact, God values each person so much that He sent His only Son Jesus to die so that He might enable us to become part of God’s family forever. This was necessary because each one of us has offended God through our sinful lives, and so we are separated from God who is pure and holy. There is nothing that we can do ourselves to get right with God. God is just and cannot leave our sin unpunished but, because He loves us very much even though we are sinners, He had a plan to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. Jesus was willing to take our punishment and die on the Cross in our place. Three days later He rose from the grave to eternal life, proving that He was God’s Son and had authority over sin and death. Now Jesus has promised that if anyone confesses that they are a sinner and believes that He died to take away their sin and that He rose from the dead, they immediately have forgiveness for their sin and become a child of God. They belong to God’s forever family because they have been given the gift of eternal life. They now have the Spirit of Jesus living within them to teach them the right way to live, to guide them and strengthen them through whatever life may hold in the days to come. And they have the promise of a home in Heaven when the time comes for them to die. Isn’t this an amazing offer? Have you made the decision to accept Jesus as your Saviour and Lord?

There is an old gospel hymn “His eye is on the sparrow”, and the second verse reads,

“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; His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.”

Next time you see a sparrow, remember how great a price Jesus paid for you because you are so precious to Him.