Birdsong
A while ago I met up with my brother and as we talked, he began to tell me that he really missed hearing birdsong where he lives, prompting him to write a poem. Apparently on the Isle of Wight the birds had stopped singing. A few years ago the powers that be decided to reintroduce hawks to the island, to encourage them to breed and flourish there. This they did but sadly the consequence, a few years later, was that most of the other species of birds, the smaller garden birds, had been wiped out by the hawks. The mornings, instead of being a cacophony of joyful birdsong, were now quiet and dull. There was no sound of birds calling one another or just singing their hearts out in joy to welcome the start of a new day.
Hawk island. No real birdsong
These several years past.
The soundless quiet echoes.
Always it’s what we do not hear.
Country born, the everywhere silence
Cuts me to the core.
No more dawn chorus,
Or dusk salute at day's end…
This poem haunted me for weeks. Something felt so wrong about the dawn chorus ceasing. All was not well with the world. And yet, a few months later when I spoke of it again with my brother he told me that the little birds had fought back. Their numbers were increasing and that they had started singing again.
This morning as I wake to the realities of lock down and not being able to leave the house, except for certain vital tasks, I open the windows and I hear the birds and I am so thankful. Thankful for their faithfulness in welcoming in a new day. Thankful for the faithfulness of the sun’s rising. Thankful for the hope of new life springing up in the gardens - daffodils, crocuses and blossom on the trees.
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end,
They are new every morning, new every morning,
Great is they faithfulness, Oh Lord.
Great is thy faithfulness.
This morning we are surrounded by the threat of illness and many are living in fear. Many others are struggling to cope with the imposed isolation that this has brought. But we have a hope that is eternal. A hope that transcends all fear. A hope that we can share. Through this worldwide tribulation I believe that God is doing a great thing. From the ashes of fear and despair, all around the world, people are turning to Him. In the imposed rest and quiet people are beginning to stop and listen and to think differently. And we, as Christians, have a great opportunity to share our hope with them. People are so receptive at the moment to receiving our prayers and our encouragement to pray.
I shared on our neighbourhood WhatsApp group a message about the churches call to prayer that took place on Sunday 22 March, asking everyone to light a candle and place it in their windows at 7pm. That evening, at 7.15, I walked up the road and was amazed at how many houses had candles of hope shining from their windows.
“I have pitched my tent in the land of hope.”
And over the last few weeks I have spoken with many people on the High Street answering their queries about “where will this all end?” with a challenge to “pray protection and go forward in faith, one day at a time.” No one has ridiculed me - all I have spoken to have said thank you…
I don’t know how this virus will affect me and all the ones I love - my immediate family and my extended family, as well as my church family and my many friends. But I do know that “I have pitched my tent in the land of hope.” Luke 2:26. My faith in God will see me through. He will give me the strength to face what I need to face.
When my mother was dying, and I was driving up and down to Hampshire several times a week, I used to blast out the song ‘Blessed Be Your Name’ on repeat as I drove down the motorway. I would sing very loudly all the way there, shouting through gritted teeth the words:
You give and take away,
My heart will choose to say
Blessed be your name.
We are going to have to be strong and rooted in God over the coming weeks. Some of us will get sick and some of us will be called to work with the sick or care for the sick. Some of us will find the imposed isolation difficult. Others will be called to be encouragers. All of us will have to fight our circumstances with resilience and courage, calling on and claiming for ourselves the promises of God.
He will be with us. He will guide us. He will strengthen us. And we will choose to praise Him. We will choose to trust Him. We will choose not to fear. And like the birds in the Isle of Wight let’s choose to fight back and sing.
As the hymn says:
The sun comes up
It’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing your song again
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
Kate Diwakar
Toddler Pastor