Wednesday, September 26, 2012
The creation was subjected to futility
I have a hummingbird feeder in my backyard, placed where I can see it when I go out there in the mornings with my (white) tea and my Bible. Three hummingbirds regularly come and visit it, but I think other birds are helping themselves to it too as I see them often chasing the hummingbirds away and I have to refill it every few days. The hummingbirds are so used to me being out there that almost every day they come and say hello to me by buzzing only a few feet in front of me and then taking off. That always feels like a butterfly kiss from God - a small reminder of His goodness.
What fascinates me though is that they seem to not get a long with each other at all. I often watch air wars a la Top Gun before one of them feels free to come and drink. It seems that hummingbirds are highly competitive and territorial. Who knew? And this morning I could not help but wonder about the extensive effects of the fall in Genesis 3. We know that we humans now have a permanent sin nature, but birds?
Romans 8 says that the "creation was subjected to futility, not willingly but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the whole creation would be released from its bondage to corruption and obtain the glory of the freedom of the children of God." I see that in my hummingbirds. But scripture says that there will be day when "the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together" (Isaiah 11:6) and the hummingbirds will be able to share a place to drink. I am looking forward to that day.
Tiina
