Pastor's Corner: His eye Is on the sparrow

Have you ever had a pet who you loved and who loved you almost more than your hearts could bear? I grew up with cats, and my Old Dan's fur absorbed so many tears from my teenage angst. That tabby knew when I needed extra snuggles ... and he knew when it was best to leave me alone in my anger. Sometimes - many times - pets know us and love us in a way that our human friends and family don't or can't. Which is what made GHAMA's December meeting so meaningful. A few community members approached the Greater Havre Area Ministerial Association with a proposal for a day camp/ranch that would bring together children from the community and abused or abandoned animals. The ranch's staff would teach the children how to take care of these animals. By nurturing and being responsible for these animals, the children would deepen their sense of purpose, belonging, and self-worth. It's like giving an Old Dan to a child who most needs a furry friend. It's a win-win, but it does cost money. If you have some extra resources and a heart for children or animals, please contact a Havre area pastor, and we would love to make the connection.

Since we're drawing closer to Christmas, I've had this proposal for an animal therapy day camp on my mind as I've seen the nativity scenes springing up all over, from people's yards to Van Orsdel's parking lot to my own living room. None of the Gospel stories of Jesus's birth or the Holy Family's flight to Egypt reference a donkey or any other animal, but our shared imagination has supplied a whole barn-full of creatures that accompany Mary, Joseph and Jesus every step of the way. Think about the trek that Mary and Joseph make to Bethlehem for the census while Mary was so close to her due date. Did you imagine her on a donkey, led by Joseph? Or think about a crèche, with all the figurines displayed on the top of a bookshelf or the fireplace mantel. It looks a little bare without at least a sheep and a cow, doesn't it? We've supplied the animals that the Gospel writers left out.

Sometimes I'm wary of supplementing Scripture with our own imaginations. But wrapping the Holy Family in the love and protection of animals feels right. Animals sense so much; surely the animals around the swaddled Savior of the world could feel that something special was happening. In the Bible that Jesus grew up learning and treasuring - what we call the Old Testament - there are plenty of animals that showcase God's love and live into God's desires. When the prophet Elijah was run into the wilderness by a corrupt king and queen, God directed ravens to bring him bread and meat, morning and evening (1 Kings 17).

When Isaiah wanted to touch Israel's heart with the beauty and harmony of God's reign, he said that, "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox" (Isaiah 11:6-7). Animals are part of God's plan for peace. Jesus seems to have understood the lesson pretty well, since he also speaks about God's creation-wide care: "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care" (Matthew 10:29). And if God's eye is on the sparrow, how much more does God watch over you? How deeply and widely does God care for the animals who need a friend, and for the children who need more than a friend? So, so much.

As we pass each nativity scene this year, let's remember that the baby in the manger knew the love and care of animals, and he knew that God cares for them, too. Let's do the same.

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Pastor Megan Hoewisch, First Lutheran Church