In the garden of the house where we lived recently, was a row of tall trees. In one of these, some birds built a nest, and in due time hatched out a little family.
It was a great interest to us all to watch them, though the chief thing we could see was a cluster of little heads with big, wide-opened mouths. Soon the mother or father bird would come with some choice morsel, and then what excitement ensued as it was dispensed to the hungry family!
There was never any question as to whether they wanted it or not. They seemed to be always ready with their mouths opened wide—that was their part. The parent birds did the rest, and dropped food into the open mouths of those tiny, helpless creatures.
Is it not somewhat the same with us and the Lord? He is ever faithful to provide us with food in due season, and yet how many Christians seem to be half starved; and why? Isn't it because they have not learned to open their mouths wide to receive the food? There was an earnest, eager desire with the birds, and is it not that which we too often lack? The Lord says, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." 1 Pet. 2:2.
The food is ready and waiting. There is no other way to grow, and yet how slow we are to desire it—so slow to open our mouths wide and let the Lord fill them.
I was hearing recently of some of the Lord's dear people who had come together to feed on the Word of God (or perhaps I should say, to be fed with His Word), and they were greatly discouraged and disappointed because some of those whom they were accustomed to have dispense it to them, were not with them; and they felt it hardly worth while to open their mouths. And yet when they did, they found the Lord as faithful as ever, and they came away filled.
Is it not ever so, dear fellow believer, whether alone or together, if we approach that Holy Word with wide open mouths, we will ever come away with them full? The difficulty so often is that we are so "full" already with other things, that there is no room for the Lord to fill us. Most of us have to own it with shame. How little in spiritual things is our "progress... manifest to all" (1 Tim. 4:15; J.N.D. Trans.).
But there was one other thing we noticed about the birds They were always at work early. Very early in the morning those older birds might be seen walking across our lawn, gathering worms. I could not but think of our old proverb, "The early bird gets the worm," and perhaps this may be spiritually applied.
May we each one be found, like Israel of old, out gathering that "manna" before the sun is up, and it is melted!
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly" (Col. 3:16).