Male Red-Bellied Woodpecker
John Miller
03/10/20
- Windstream Mail
R E F L E C T I O N S Thoughts on nature and the Christian faith - 3/9/20 ______________________________________ "You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life." - Jn. 5:39-40 |
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This is a male red-bellied woodpecker, a bird fairly common in the eastern forests of North America. This particular fellow was doing what all woodpeckers do, digging into dead trees and searching their cracks and crevices in search of insects. They have tongues with barbs on the end which extend up to two inches beyond their beaks. In other words, they are well equipped to do what they need to do but, even at that, it requires work and constant diligence. So does obeying our command to search the scriptures. Serious Bible study is hard work. It has been said that the central message of the Bible can be understood by a child, but to plumb the depths of scripture involves a life-long pursuit. Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees of his day, not because they neglected to search the scriptures, but because they failed to acknowledge the One to whom the scriptures pointed. Searching isn't enough. The goal of all scripture is to point beyond itself, to bring us face-to-face with who we are and where true life is to be found. And that life is found in Jesus alone. It is sad to see how little scripture is searched today, even among Christians. But what is worse is to see how many people search but never find. It is not enough to know facts about Jesus or to memorize stories about Jesus. When Jesus is found, he must be received by faith. Until that happens, we may have heads full of facts, but hearts that are unchanged. Even woodpeckers know that when food is finally found it must be ingested. - John
