A little red-winged blackbird had come to the feeder to get something to eat. It did not know that while it was pecking away at the seeds, one of its toes had become entangled in the mesh of the feeder. It must have been trying to pull away for quite some time.
When Mike arrived home, he saw what looked like a wet black rag hanging limply from the feeder. Wondering what it was, he went out to take a closer look. The “rag” suddenly starting flapping wildly. Then he could see that it was a bird caught by its foot.
Mike put on some gardening gloves and very gently cupped the little bird in his hand. Then with great difficulty and with the help of a penknife, he was able to pry the wire off the bird’s claw and release it from the mesh. He held the quivering little bird for a few moments, then opened his hands and off it flew, bleeding a little but free.
I think a lot of us are like that little blackbird. We go about our daily lives quite unaware that sin and sinful habits may be forming themselves, one strand at a time, into a heavy cord. Finally we find ourselves entangled, quite unable to get free and needing some outside help. Just as the little bird had a savior come along who set it free, we have a Savior, the Lord Jesus, who stands ready and able to set us free from that heavy cord of sin. He is waiting to hear us call to Him to be set free. We have the promise from the Bible, God’s Word: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15). And we know that “He [Jesus] is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him” (Hebrews 7:25). If you come to Jesus, whether you are young or older, He will set you free from all your sin and give you the gift of eternal life. Then you can sing as King David did in Psalm 124:7: “Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.”