Xanthe Hancox

The trees of the LORD are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the pine trees. The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the coneys.  Psalm 104:16-18

Psalm 104 is a praise Psalm, it speaks of the glory of the Lord and how he provides so perfectly for all his creation, including the stork.

In Hebrew, the stork has a name which comes from a word which signifies "holy" and "kindness" because of the wonderful way in which storks take care of their young. The exceptional parenting skills of the stork place the pine tree in Psalm 104 in a different light. For a stork looking after her chicks, only the safest tree would be good enough to turn into a home.

You might found it a little strange then, to discover that the stork was an unclean bird according to the ceremonial law (Leviticus 11:19), and the Israelites were instructed not to eat it. As Christians however, we are just like this stork in the fir tree. We are unclean by nature, but through the grace of God we are able to make our home in Christ and dwell in him by faith. In Hosea 14:8 God speaks to Israel and says “I am like a green pine tree; your fruitfulness comes from me.”

Christ is our green pine tree tree, our perfect home, and in him we have all that we need.

Prayer: O Lord, you are clothed with splendour and majesty, and still you provide for me so completely. Today Lord, let me dwell in you. Amen.