A Prayer about Being the Baby Bird

Creator of All Good Things,

Thank you for giving me a close-up view of a cardinal couple 

building a nest, incubating the eggs, 

and hatching two little baby birds over the past few weeks.

One day I snuck a picture of the baby birds, 

mouths wide open, 

cheeping away as they awaited their morning feast of juicy insects.

Lord, remind us of how much we are like baby birds, 

utterly dependent on you for our nourishment of grace. 

You are the God who dropped manna from the sky 

to feed your people in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4). 

You are the Jesus who broke the bread 

and shared it with his disciples, saying, 

“Take, eat; this is my body” (Matthew 26:26). 

You are the Spirit who grows us 

through the Word and prayer. 

One day the baby birds will grow stronger, 

take wing, and fly. 

We too will grow stronger, 

but unlike the birds, 

we will never outgrow 

our complete dependence on you 

and our need for the nourishment of your grace. 

Gratefully we pray,

In Jesus’ life-giving name. Amen.

Read Matthew 26:26-29; Deuteronomy 8:1-10; Hebrews 4:12.