It is undeniable that these are difficult times, micro and macro. I can’t say they’re the worst since our individual lives have their highs and lows, and the cycles of history since the beginning have surely demonstrated this concept to be true. I can say in my not short life these days are up there in challenges on many levels, personally and globally.

This morning as I watched the new birdfeeder outside my window, I was reminded of some basic truths.

Earlier this week the birdfeeder was rather elaborate. It had two hanging individual feeders along with an area for water. Quite the riches for these stunning winged creatures. That configuration lasted one day as overnight an evening prowler, most likely a racoon, was able to knock down the whole pole despite the spike base which had been driven into the ground, although too shallowly to withstand the dark attack.

After setting up the structure the next morning the squirrels (especially a really fat one!) wasn’t content eating all the birdseed that had fallen on the ground the night before. Rather, he enjoyed sitting in the now empty, sun-warmed shallow tray on one of the arms of the feeder as he relaxedly could reach the cute house-shaped feeder on another arm of the pole. So a large wide-mouthed flower pot was filled with bricks to hold the stand of the birdfeeder to see if a night prowler once again would be able to tip over the apparatus.

As I look out this morning I am encouraged to see the birdfeeder stands! The tray having been removed, I see the seemingly same fat squirrel on the ground eating the bird seed droppings (as it should be!) since the arm holding the remaining feeder is too high to reach and the pole too skinny to climb. I’m watching each tiny chickadee land in the nearby bush, analyze the environment, come over to eat, then fly away to let the others know they can once again be fed.

As I watched and remembered the challenges, I was strengthened to see the perseverance of those little chickadees, especially the brave one that came before the others. It didn’t come for the fancy trappings, but rather, for its sustenance. Not only is the temperature dropping, and will worsen as winter hardship approaches, it sought its food and most likely will continue to do so throughout the winter. It knows of the dangers and distractions and took them into account as it journeyed toward its nourishment.

Not only did it have to overcome disappointment and try again as the seed was scattered that first night, it had to be wary of the secondary feeders during the day. As it would hide in the nearby bush from hawks in the back forest, it had learned how to feed from the rich offerings and was gloriously rewarded for its efforts. Its Creator had given it life and provided rich sustenance.

Our Abba will never leave us. He will always sustain us, no matter what we do, or don’t do, no matter how discouraged, or encouraged, as we are so often oblivious to our part in co-creating this world by our actions and inactions. The journey is harder or easier depending on our decisions, singly and as a society. That little bird was not distracted by the opulence of the first feeder’s apparatus, even the cuter house-shaped seed dispenser on one of the arms, but rather, was single-minded, determined, to eat from a source of good nourishment just as we must not be distracted from that goal, to seek Him, the One who sustains us. When we do that, and trust we will find Him and partake of His spiritual provision, we will always be richly nourished. Our decisions will be sound. Just as the raccoon’s efforts were thwarted, so too the evil one cannot destroy God’s provision.

This task is not easy. Even in times of less antisemitism and hatred, less divisiveness, when it’s easy to believe in the truth of God’s reality, we still in those times sometimes get lazy. Watching the little chickadee reminded me this morning of the value of single-mindedness to our nourishment, to our Creator, our Messiah Yeshua, to the source of our trust in faith.

Just as that little chickadee fought for that seed, as it overcame cold temperatures, dangers, challenges, and disappointments, as it succeeded in reaching its nourishment by coming back, time after time, so too can we not lose sight of our goal – to feel His Presence, to be strengthened by His Word. We are reminded He is already in our seeking as it is He who strengthens us and gives us the ability to every day strive closer to Him despite the challenges.

Just as that little guy flew back and brought back the many more, so too I feel this every Shabbat as I experience the joy of our Ruach family processing the Torah amidst our community feeling the love of His Presence. Our Abba, through Yeshua, and the Holy Spirit are palpable during those Shabbat morning services. Our community is bathed in that Presence bringing inexplicable joy and smiles despite our personal and societal times of trouble.

As we praise and worship Him through song, prayer, and Scripture, we are nourished in the joy and sustenance that comes with knowing that God is real, and that He revealed Himself to us intimately through His Son, Yeshua. It is the strength that comes from knowing these truths that sustains us during days of challenge and hardship, carrying us through the tough ones, filling us with joy.

All we need to do is persevere, as the little chickadee.

Shabbat shalom.

Diane