Recently I've seen quite a few flocks of birds migrating north, as they anticipate spring. They may have run into some severe weather up north, but I'm confident they'll continue until they reach their summer homes. The geese are fun to watch, with their characteristic flight "V" and raucous honking. But I am especially impressed with the hummingbird. These tiny creatures leave southern Mexico in January of each year and migrate across the Gulf of Mexico, past the Florida Keys and up as far as Canada by May. The return trip starts in August. Young ones are hatched during the summer and studies have shown that they tend to return to the place they were first hatched each year. Before crossing the Gulf of Mexico they "bulk up" to make sure they have enough stored energy to make non-stop flights of up to 500 miles over about 20 hours (25 mph...not bad). They almost double their weight in fat to take on fuel for the trip (from 3.25 grams to 6 grams(about 1/4 of an ounce top weight) to make the trip possible. All of this just challenges me (not to double my weight, but...) to want to fly with purpose. If something that small can navigate that accurately, cover that much ground annually and do it for years then I have a strong feeling that the Lord can equip us for great challenges, as well.
Genesis 1:20 Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.”
blessings,
Rob Smith
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