A God Who Cares About Sparrows

I am a Princeton graduate, and I have spent my life (mostly) doing things that are not particularly important in the eyes of the world.  I've tried to do those things well, raising (with my husband) our three children, teaching Sunday school, writing and organizing Vacation Bible Schools, being a good friend and neighbor to the extent that I can.  I've worked some as a teacher at various levels and as a secretary.  I write poems that (mostly) nobody reads, and songs that (most of the time) nobody hears.  It is not that I believe these things don't matter, but to the extent that they do matter, they matter to God and in the context of God's kingdom, not to this current world system.  And so I wrote this song.

Sparrows

In this world, I am not important

I teach Sunday school, and helped to raise my family.

I doubt I'll ever stand before thousands,

But let me say, "That's all right with me."

       Because I know a God who cares about sparrows

        He clothes the flowers, and he calmed the seas.

        He holds everything together.

        He knows my name and he cares about me.

Now in this world you may be rich and famous

Or hanging on by your fingernails.

Jesus said that we don't have to worry

And he's the one who puts the wind into our sails.

    Because there is a God who cares about sparrows

    He clothes the flowers, and he calmed the seas.   

    He holds everything together.

    He knows your name and watches over you and me.

 I guess the idea of asking God to show us our "next right steps" is a 12-step catch phrase.  I'm not a 12-step participant myself, but I hang with such folks a fair amount of the time, which I guess is where I picked up the phrase.  I found the chorus echoing in my heart for a bunch of weeks, and then the verses came together pretty suddenly.

I'm not a hundred percent sure I believe that we don't get long term visions that "last through the years".  But I am sure that knowing the next right steps, and walking in them is one of the more important things that God can help us to see.

                            Next Right Steps

                                                        Next right steps, next right steps

                                                        Father won't you show us our next right steps.

                                                        Next right steps, next right steps

                                                        Father won't you show us our next right steps.

                                            Well, I seem to want a vision that would last through the years

                                            To fill me up with confidence and calm all my fears

                                            But I'm slowly learning you don't work that way

                                            You give strength for the journey

                                            And bread for today

                                                        Next right steps...

                                            Now if we want a vision that will carry us through

                                            We don't need to know the what or how we just need who

                                            We need to know the Spirit who can show us the way

                                            And to trust that Jesus loves us at the end of the day

                                                   

                                                        Next right steps...