Dear Children,
Today Gramma and I stood outside near the barn, watching the swallows gathering together into flocks. They are getting ready to fly south. Winter is coming, and they will be leaving shortly on their long journey to their warmer, winter home many miles away. We are sorry to see them leave, but we know that when winter is over these beautiful birds will return.
“How do you know that, Grampa?”
Because the Bible tells us in Genesis 8:22The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; (Genesis 8:2)2 That “while the earth [remains], seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” That means that we will always have spring, summer, autumn and winter while we’re living here on earth. And the Bible talks specifically about spring in {s 12176}Song of Solomon 2:11-1211For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; 12The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; (Song of Solomon 2:11‑12) when it says, “The winter is past, the rain [and snow] is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the [turtledove] is heard in our land.” The birds do a lot of singing in the spring when they return, and it is often how they claim a nesting and feeding territory.
During the month of April, Gramma and I start watching for the swallows to return. We always play a little game to see who will be the first to see them when they come back. And once they are back, it isn’t long before those swallows are searching all over the barn to see where they will build their nests. Sometimes they will use last year’s nest.
Now I want you to remember that these are wild birds; they are not tame! All the while they are building their nests up high in the barn, I will sit out there and watch and talk to them. At first they don’t like my being there, but they gradually get used to me. It takes about ten days to two weeks.
“What do you say when you talk to them, Grampa?”
Oh, I usually say, “Welcome back ... we missed you. We hope you find lots of bugs to eat.” Or sometimes I’ll repeat Bible verses or sing a Sunday school song for them. This helps them know my voice. It gets to the point that when I go into the barn, I can get so close to them that if I stood on a step ladder, I could touch them ... but I have never tried that. It’s really fun to see three or four babies peeking over the nest and the parents sitting on each side of the nest watching me. Yes, I talk to them all the while I am in there, and they soon get to know I am their friend.
As Gramma and I watch and wait for these birds to return in the spring, we think of the Lord Jesus who came to this earth and was born in a manger at Bethlehem. He went through life talking to men and women about their sins and that they must have all their sins washed away or they can never live in heaven. Then He went to Calvary and took the punishment for the sins of every person who would trust in Him. He loves us and gave up His life for you and me, and after three days He rose from the dead and then went away — back up to heaven. Now listen to what He said: “I go [to] prepare a place for you. ... I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2-32In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:2‑3)). And so He is coming again to take home to heaven all the people who have let Him wash their sins away! He doesn’t tell us when He is coming, but it could be today or tomorrow.
It’s just like Gramma and I know the swallows will be coming back, but we don’t know exactly when, so we keep watching for them. And oh what a thrill when we see our swallows circling the barn and then come in to land! After months of being away, they are back!
And Gramma and I are both watching for the Lord Jesus to come very soon ... maybe it will be today! We hope all you children are ready to go with Jesus when He comes. Are your sins washed away so that you are ready and watching for Him too? Gramma and I sure hope so.
We send lots of love,
Gramma and Grampa