Bible Animals Bird Stories

Americans are quite familiar with eagles. As the symbol of our nation its majesty, strength and beauty represent this land quite well. Throughout the Bible, the eagle is used as an example of how God can transform a person. As an eagle matures, the darker feathers of youth fall off and our replaced by new and different feathers. In the case of the bald eagle, they are replaced by white tail feathers and the white "bald head" plumage. He is even stronger and more majestic with each transition. With that understanding, the following verses make much more sense:

Praise the Lord, I tell myself, and never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He ransoms me from death and surrounds me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle's! (Psalm 103:3-5 NLT)

He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youth will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:29-31 NLT)

When you make Jesus your Lord, you are spiritually reborn. But you must go through a process of renewing your mind to this fact. By reading the Word, meditating on it and allowing the Holy Spirit to minister to you, those old habits and negative thought patterns will drop off like the old feathers of an eagle. You will be renewed and reborn and ready to sore majestically to glorify your Heavenly Father.

Isaiah 40:29-31 was my Mother's favorite verse. She caught a glimpse of this truth and was doing things for God that very few women dared to do in those days, or at her age. She ruffled a few feathers, but she made sure she was obedient to whatever God asked her to do. Until graduation day, she soared with the eagles. You can read some of her work at Christian Poems.

She loved God and nature. Here is one of her poems:

Happy As A Mockingbird
By Frances Matney Woodard
(1922 - 1991)

Happy as a Mockingbird singing in a tree

That's what the Lord wants us to be

He wants His children filled with His love

Don't look down - just look up above.

Praise for the Father who brings it to pass

The blue of the sky - The green of the grass

Lord keep your children and help them to be

Filled with praise and always ready to worship thee.

Image: Jeff Ratcliff / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Elijah, one of the greatest of the Old Testament prophets, primary mission was to confront the kings of Israel that had turned to idolatry. King Ahab of Israel had inherited his evil ways from his father King Omri and married Jezebel, a worshipper of Baal. They built a temple to Baal and promoted worship of idols throughout Israel. God wants to be Lord because He knows the dangers of earthly kings. An ungodly leader can make the whole nation suffer. And that is still true even today. (Psalm 82, 94; Proverbs 28, 29)

Elijah appeared before Ahab and boldly declared that there would be a drought that would last for many months. There would be "no dew or rain until he gave the word." Baal was thought to be a god of rain and agriculture. The drought would be a harsh reminder that there is only one God, and only by His Word given by Elijah, would the rain return.

God instructed Elijah to travel to Kerith Brook and stay there. The brook would provide water and God commanded the ravens to bring him food. As long as there was water, every morning and evening the ravens would bring him bread and meat. (1 Kings 17:1-6)

When the brook dried up, God instructed Elijah to travel to Zarephath where he had a widow that would care for him. She provided food for Elijah and God made sure her flour and oil never ran out. She was able to feed herself, her son and Elijah until the drought ended. (1 Kings 17:8-24)

It does not matter what hardship you face in life, if you trust God, He will provide a solution.

Some Reading Suggestions For Elijah:
Elijah: Fed By A Raven - A paraphrase of the the raven story
Rockwell's Dream - A story about the ravens that fed Elijah. This adaptation of the Elijah and the ravens story includes a lesson on trusting God.

For additional Elijah resources

During the sermon on the mount, Jesus covered many topics including worrying about food and clothing. He told them, "Look at the birds. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them." (Matthew 6:25-34, Luke 12:22-34)

This was Jesus reminding you to get your focus on God first and ALL your needs will be supplied in abundance. But if you spend your days worrying, you are actually not trusting God to do what He says He will do. Remember, if you seek the Kingdom of God first, all these things will be given to you.

As Jesus looked at Jerusalem, he knew that God's chosen people would largely reject him. He knew the coming destruction and he wanted them to turn to him and be saved. He said, "How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me." (Matthew 23:37-39, Luke 13:34-35)

Image: Liz Noffsinger / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The sparrow, one of the smallest birds, goes about its business with little notice from man. So when Jesus was preparing his twelve disciples for their ministry, he warned them of the risk involved. And then promptly reassured them by pointing out the simple sparrow. It is small and of little value to men. But God knows and cares for each and every one. And more importantly, not a single one falls to the ground without God knowing.

Even if Jesus stopped there, those were comforting words. But to drive home the point he reminded them, "You are more important than a whole flock of sparrows!"

God loves you. He knows the exact number of hairs on your head and everything about you. There is no need to ever be afraid when you have made Jesus the Lord of your life. You can serve God boldly knowing that as you put your complete trust in Him, there is nothing to fear, and nothing you can't do by faith. (Matthew 11:28-31, Luke 12:6-7)

Image: Jeff Ratcliff / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Peter, who would go on to do great things for the Church, was a very passionate man. He would go from an outstanding confession of the divinity of Jesus based on divine revelation to being rebuked by Jesus in the same setting. (Matthew 16:13-28)

Jesus frequently told his disciples that he would be betrayed and die on the cross. They did not understand the meaning of these statements until after his resurrection and the fulfillment of everything Jesus had promised. Right after the Last Supper, Jesus reminded them again of the coming events, quoting scripture, he told them that all would desert him. This was not condemnation. Simply a reminder of the events to come.

Peter said that he would not desert Jesus. But Jesus, who obviously loved Peter, told him that, "This very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." Peter boldly declared that he would die with Jesus. And the other disciples made similar pledges.

Later, after Jesus was arrested, John and Peter followed the crowd to the home of the high priest. In the courtyard, people began questioning Peter, "You were one of those with Jesus." Before Peter even realized what he had done, he had emphatically denied Jesus three times. Just then, the rooster crowed and Peter remembered the words of Jesus. He went away and wept bitterly. (Matthew 26:31-35, 69-75), (Mark 14:27-31, 66-72), (Luke 22:31-34, 54-62), (John 13:31-38; 18:15-18, 25-27)

No doubt as the trial and death of Jesus played out, Peter was heartbroken that he had denied his savior. When the reports of the resurrection came in, Peter was moved to run to the tomb to see for himself. During one of his appearances to the disciples, Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?" The three questions were no accident. It was Jesus telling Peter to forgive himself, forget the past and prepare for a glorious future of "feeding his sheep." (John 21:15-19) After Pentecost, and on fire with the Holy Spirit, Peter would preach a sermon that would convert 3,000 people! (Acts 2)

For additional Peter denies Jesus resources

Image: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

God said he carried his people out of Egypt on the wing of what type of bird? (Exodus 19:3-6)

King Solomon's ships returned every three years loaded with gold, silver, ivory, apes and what type of bird? (1 Kings 10:22), (2 Chronicles 9:21)

Which king chattered like a swallow or a crane and then moaned like a dove? (Isaiah 38:9-20)

What city would the servant girls moan like doves when it was captured? (Nahum 2:7)

Under the Law, Mary and Joseph were required to sacrifice a pair of birds after the birth of Jesus. What were their two choices? (Luke 2:24)

Some Christian Children's Stories Featuring Birds:
Roxie's Big News - Roxie was a little dove who waited patiently for Jesus to return. Her faith was rewarded when she was the first to see Jesus Easter morning and announce the news of his resurrection to the world. An Easter story .
Mette's Christmas Miracle - During a terrible Norwegian winter, a little sparrow named Mette proves that God is always ready to help. This story explains the birth of a Scandinavian Christmas custom that is for the birds. A Christmas story .
Noah & Waverly - A Scissortail Love Story - A young scissortail flycatcher named Noah learns that when he loves others and trusts God, he receives all his heart's desires. A Christian love story.
The Three Doves - Three birds learn the importance of faith in the name of Jesus.
An Animal Parable.