It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. II Corinthians 4:13-15 NIV

It’s difficult for me to share these verses, because although I believe, today I did not speak.

This morning I went on a field trip with a group of forty people to look at birds. Yes, bird-watching. The goal of the trip was to one: identify as many different species of birds as possible, and two: find life birds (those I’ve never seen before). On our trip, we identified seventy species of birds and I saw four birds I’d never seen before. All in all, it was a successful excursion.

It wasn’t until I got home and read my Bible, I realized I went through the entire morning without acknowledging or thanking God for the amazing creatures we identified. We oohed and aahed, but I didn’t once say, “Wow! Look what God has done.” Not even in my heart.

My life has been changed dramatically by Jesus Christ and I am convinced God will one day raise me from the dead and present me with Jesus to himself. But nothing I did or said this morning testified to this fact.

I feel the sting of reproof from God’s living word as I read it. But rather than being dismayed, I am grateful. I know God will forgive me when I confess my selfishness to him. I am confident he is at work correcting me and disciplining me because I am his daughter. He wants me to be like his Son, Jesus, and so do I.

But most importantly, God wants me to honestly speak the truth to you, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

I pray you will thank God with me for his marvelous grace!

And look at this amazing Altamira Oriole God created!

(Photographed by Greg Schrader)