Ever wish you were a bird? These creatures that God created have hollow bones, beautiful feathers, the ability to make intricate nests using just their beaks, oh yeah...and they can fly. This last characteristic is the one that peaks my interest most. Birds defy gravity in a sense. I was sitting out on the beach today watching some of the birds fly over-head thinking to myself, wow, they seem so free. I'm sure you have thought this same thing at some point in your hectic life. What a joy it would be if I could just be a bird and fly away. Life gets us down doesn't it? Gravity is constantly keeping our feet on the ground. If you jump up, you will come down. If you jump off of a high point, the ground is your destination. I think sin does the same thing to us. It keeps us down. It is constantly pulling on us and we are constantly fighting it. We spend our lives looking up at birds saying, "Oh if only I could fly!" I have news for you, you were born to fly. Of course, not in the literal sense (though that would be sweet!). I mean, our spirits were born, created to fly. Christ has set us free from sin! You are no longer grounded if you are in Christ! Christ has made you a bird at last! Isn't that beautiful?
Now, I must convey to you the second half of my thoughts while sitting on the beach. As I'm sitting there watching the birds, dreaming of what it'd be like to fly, I notice something. The birds are flapping their wings. They have to keep flapping in order to keep flying. Granted, when they catch the wind right they can glide, but for the most part they have to keep flapping. Seems like a lot of work. Same goes for us birds in Christ. Yes, we are free. Yes, we can fly. But we must never stop flapping our wings. Gravity doesn't stop pulling on birds just because they can fly. Sin doesn't stop pulling on Christians just because they are saved. Being a Christian is an everyday effort. It's exhausting at times. Sometimes you feel like you've just flown over the ocean and you want to give your wings a rest. We can't stop flying. Our souls depend on it. Christ is the wind beneath our wings and when we feel like we can't fly any further, he will provide the wind for us to glide. But we can't stop flying.
Next time you see a bird don't sit there wishing you could fly; rejoice in the fact that you can! Christ has made you a bird. Don't let your soul be burdened by the gravity of sin. You were born to fly. Yes, you must flap your wings...but that's just part of flying.
So defy gravity today! Spread your wings! And never stop flying.
