Courtship Feeding

by Macy Johnson

“I am the Lord your God,

who brought you up out of Egypt.

Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.”

(Psalm 81:10 NIV)

 

My husband, Jeff, and I watched cardinals flock around our bird feeder. Several birds perched on nearby chair rails and we noticed a strange activity taking place. One male cardinal leaned over to a female and put his beak inside her mouth. He then leaned over to another female on his other side and repeated the process. “What are they doing?” I asked Jeff.

 

I picked up my cell phone and googled “male cardinal feeding females.” An explanation appeared on the screen: Courtship feeding in birds is a ritual where one bird, usually the male, offers food to another, typically the female, as part of the mating process. This behavior serves multiple purposes, including pair bonding, mate assessment, and providing nutritional support to the female during egg formation. 

 

I thought of how my heavenly Father feeds me, not just with physical food, but more importantly, spiritual food. Every morning, I open my computer and write a love letter to Him while I read His love letter (the Bible) to me. It is a feeding ritual of heavenly sorts.

 

“The angel of the Lord came back a second time

and touched him (Elijah) and said,

‘Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.’”

(1 Kings 19:7 NIV)

 

Elijah escaped his enemies and was fit to be tied, as my mother would say. His heavenly Father pooh-poohed his pity party. I can relate. Sometimes the going gets so rough I want to quit. Then Jesus touches me and feeds me. I am revived and ready to serve again!

 

I will open my heart wide so the Holy Spirit can feed me with heavenly cuisine. I hope you will, too!