I am so drawn to hummingbirds and could watch them for hours. Each May I look forward to prepping our feeders for their arrival. These beautiful creatures are so tiny that their life would seem simple. In fact, the nectar we make for them is called simple syrup. I feel like they enjoy simple yet beautiful things, flitting from colorful flower to colorful flower with a feeder visit in between. Could our lives be like this?

There is beauty in enjoying the simple things in life. Like the hummingbird and its needed nectar, these simple things can be life sustaining. For example, eating good and nourishing food, having healthy relationships in our life, laughing, enjoying a sunrise or sunset, helping someone reach something on a shelf, offering a smile to a stranger are all simple yet beautiful things. Knowing our purpose in life and spending time with God daily to lay down our burdens and receive His mercy may sound simple yet is also very necessary.

Did you know that a hummingbird must consume half of its weight daily which requires feeding 5-8 times every hour? Their wings beat 50-200 flaps each second. A hummingbird’s heart rate is 1,200 beats per minute compared to our 60-100 beats per minute. Seeing them at rest almost seems unnatural, right? While at rest the hummingbird’s heart still beats 250 times a minute. So while a hummingbird’s life seems simple it isn’t always slow and relaxing, kind of like our lives. Hummingbird’s have to be refreshed and renewed all the time with occasional rest and frequent nourishment. We need this kind of life as well.

Does thinking about this make you even more worried about today and tomorrow? Don’t be because Jesus has you covered! He tells us in Matthew 6:25-34 ” ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’ ”

‭‭What about that daily time with Jesus that I mentioned as being life sustaining? Is it really that important? We are promised renewal every day if we go to our feeder to receive our nectar, His daily mercy. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations‬ ‭3:22-23‬). While at His feet I encourage you to lay down any extra weight you are carrying. Our “wings” have to beat enough every day with other responsibilities and cares. Let Jesus take the burdens. “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” (Psalm‬ ‭68:19‬)

By daily trusting Jesus to meet our needs and provide us with rest and refreshment our lives can be simple and beautiful too. That kind of life, like watching a hummingbird, draws others to us so that we can share the source of our nectar, our Savior, Jesus Christ.