By Rex Herndon
With imaginative and inspirational words, author and poet, Maya Angelou, wrote, “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.”
In five verses, she explains why a bird continues to sing a beautiful song while captured in a cage, and denied the privilege “To leap on the back of the wind and float downstream until the current ends.”
In those less than pleasant circumstances, the lonely bird begins to sing, not because he has discovered a solution to all the problems the cage has brought him, but…because…..”He has a song!”
Choosing to spiritualize the poets words, I remind believers of words, spoken by Jesus to His disciples, as they prepared to embark on the daunting task of fulfilling His Great Commission to, “Preach the gospel.”
He said, “In the world ye shall have tribulations; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (1 John 16:33)
His words echo those of David in. (Psalm 34:19), who, speaking from experience, said, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous.”
Two things in life of which we may be certain. At some point on our journey toward eternity, the winds of adversity will begin to blow, and we will face the reality of reversal, pain, loss, and upheaval. It is also certain, we who believe have been given a song, the melody of which flows from the portals of Glory and shared by the angels around God’s Throne.
In his wonderful gospel song, Composer, Elton Roth, sang,
“ I have a song that Jesus gave me; it was sent from heaven above.
There never was a sweeter melody; ‘Tis a melody of love……
In my heart there rings a melody, with heaven’s harmony.
In my heart there rings a melody;
There rings a melody of love.”
It is so important we don’t allow people or circumstances to rob us of our song of faith and victory! The enemy has no right to our, “Melody of Love!”
Many years ago, I was invited to speak in one of our Assembly of God Churches. The Pastor, who was a friend, invited me to spend those days as a guest in his home.
Arriving there, I discovered he and his wife were also babysitting their five year old grandson.
It seems, the Pastor and his wife had a family devotion time, which included the little boy, where they had shared Scripture and talked about never allowing the enemy to rob them of their, “Victory.”
One afternoon, during my stay there, the little boy burst through the door crying, after having a disagreement with a neighbor boy. Very upset, he ran to his Grandpa, waving his hand, and saying, “He is trying to rob me of my vicky! He is trying to rob me of my vicky!”
We all laughed at the moment, but I have many times, since, felt like crying to my Heavenly Father, “He is trying to rob me of my vicky!” Only to be reminded by the Holy Spirit, “I have a song that Jesus gave me,” and I should begin to sing in the face of trial and turmoil.
It may be the loss of a job, that threatens the security of your family; the uncertainty and pain of failing health; a personal spiritual struggle being experienced by yourself or a family member, or the grief of losing a loved one.
Whatever the situation, we can either allow these unexpected setbacks to rob us of our peace of mind and sense of security, or we, like the caged bird, may begin to sing:
“My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior Divine!
While life’s dark maze I tread,
And grief’s around me spread,
Be Thou my guide.
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From thee away.”
My Faith Looks Up To Thee”
(Ray Palmer)
David said, “In my distress, I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: He heard my voice out of His Temple. And my cry came before Him, even into His Ears.” Psalm 18:6
Knowing David’s tendency to sing unto the Lord, we can be assured, in times of trouble, he would began to sing,
“The Lord is my Light and my Salvation, whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the Strength of my Life
Of whom shall I be afraid?”
(Psalm 27:1)
The cage could not rob the beautiful but imprisoned bird of his song, nor, could the long hours of solitude watching a flock of sheep, the threat of death at the hands of a sword bearing Goliath, or being the object of King Saul’s hate. David’s song was one God gave him as a young lad.
You and I may not have the answer to all those perplexing problems we must face in life, but we have a song.
Let everybody sing!
“O, Lord my God,
When I in awesome wonder;
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made.
I see the stars,
I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy Power throughout
The universe displayed;
Then sings my soul,
My Savior God to Thee,
How Great Thou Art,
How Great Thou Art.”
Why does a bird sing? ……..He sings, because, God gave him a song!
The problems we encounter in life, though painfully stressful, have no power to rob us of our song.
We can sing with the hymn writer,
“I will sing of my Redeemer,
And His wondrous Love to me;
On the cruel Cross He suffered
From the curse to set me free.
“I will praise my dear Redeemer,
His triumphant power I’ll tell,
How the victory He giveth
Over sin and death and hell!”
The Shepherd's Staff 