mo den plenny sparrow birds

A few Sundays ago, our friend Julie, who has a glorious voice that stirs my soul, sang “His Eye is on the Sparrow”. It was awesome. {Julie, I hope you’re reading this.} For whatever reason, I’ve been humming that song today. I don’t really even know all the words, but I do know the gist of the song and I can hmm-hmm-hmm with the best of them when I don’t know the words. (As an aside, I have one kid who has a freakish ability to remember lyrics and scripture. I do not. Such abilities must skip a generation.) Back to “that sparrow song,” as my kids refer to it. I took some time tonight to find the lyrics, and I listened to 6 or 7 versions of it on YouTube. Sister Act 2 may have been a dumb movie, but the Lauryn Hill and Tanya Blount version is breathtaking. I also took some time to find out the history of the song, and it’s pretty cool and spoke to my heart.

First, the lyrics:

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,

Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,

When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain:

I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,

For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,

And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;

Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,

When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,

I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

The story behind the lyrics is pretty cool. Civilla Durfee Martin penned the lyrics in 1905. She wrote it after visiting friends who had severe physical disabilities. Here is how she tells it:

Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheel chair. Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittles, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle’s reply was simple: “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” was the outcome of that experience.

I’ve been dogged by worries, large and small, this week. I’m not a particularly anxious person by nature, but throw some unexplained mystery symptoms at one of my kids, and I go to Dr. Google instead of the Great Physician. I hate that my worries rob me of my focus, and I have to will myself to stop searching and start seeking His peace instead. I’ve heard Him whisper to me that we will find answers, and truly that is what I want most right now.

I think that’s why the song has been running through my head. It’s there as a reminder not to worry. Ours is a God who provides for and watches over every sparrow. Of course He watches over me. Of course He watches over my husband and my kids. When I rest on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears. When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies, I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I’ll close this post with the scripture that "His Eye is on the Sparrow" is rooted in. But, I’m going quirky on you. I love the whole parallel thing you can do in Bible Gateway. Tonight I paralleled Matthew 10:29-31 in the NIV and Hawai’i Pidgin version. Here’s the Pidgin version.

Dey sell two sparrow birds in da market fo one penny. But not even one sparrow bird goin fall down from da sky on top da groun if yoa Fadda no like. Yoa Fadda, he even know how much hairs you get on top yoa head! No scared! Cuz God know you guys worth mo den plenny sparrow birds.

Doesn’t get any simpler than that! No scared! Cuz God know you guys worth mo den plenny sparrow birds.

PS Tomorrow commences the closet cleaning. I am chopping my wardrobe by about two thirds, and I couldn’t be happier about that. Next opportunity is finding people to share with. We’ll have lots of women’s size 12, teen 0s and extra smalls, and kids 10/12 and 6/6x. I have a particular desire to meet the people we are blessed to share with, and I pray that the Lord makes the way clear for that. If you are aware of people who have a particular need, please e-mail me.