The song of the blackbird

I heard a blackbird singing early this morning.  In a few weeks' time he will be the herald introducing the dawn chorus, but today his was a solitary voice.  Actually, I was surprised to hear him as it still seemed quite dark.  I can only assume that somehow he could sense that sunrise was approaching and he wanted to be the first to welcome the dawn.

There is so much that is dark about the world in these days.  Wars and rumours of wars, disasters, civil unrest, rampant crime, violence of many kinds, governments legislating against God's laws...  Yet we know that all things are working to bring about the purposes of our sovereign God, and one day the Sun of Righteousness will arise.  As the Lord Jesus Himself tells us, 'Watch therefore, for you do not know at what hour your Lord is coming... Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.'  (Matthew 24: 42,44)

Let us then not become weary in well-doing, but seek to redeem the time, for who would want to be ashamed at His coming?

Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.  For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:  'for yet a little while, and he who is coming will come and will not tarry...'

                                                                                                                                              Hebrews 10:25-27

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!