A WORD FOR TODAY, February 19, 2026
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, February 19, 2026
“The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, the calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf together; and a little child will lead them. The cow and the bear will graze. Their young ones will lie down together. The lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play near a cobra’s hole, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. They will not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of Yahweh, as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:6-9, WEB
We have several bird feeders around the house which draw many different types of birds and squirrels. We enjoy watching them interact, especially the cardinals. We have at least one mated pair that are so cute. The male will often pick seeds and take them to the female, feeding her in the safety of a bush. It is almost like they are kissing.
We also have hawks in our neighborhood. They often sit in our tree watching the bird feeder. I have often joked that they think of it as their own lunch buffet. I’ve seen hawks with a snack flying around, but I’ve never seen one catch anything. Until a few days ago. I was in my office doing some work and I heard a loud noise at my window. I didn’t think much about it because the doves often fly into the window. The birds usually just shake off the stun and fly away. I got up to look, not sure what I would do if the bird were harmed, and what I saw shocked and saddened me. A hawk had my beautiful male cardinal in his talons. I hit the window in the hope that it would let the bird go, but it took off with him firmly in his grasp. I went out a few minutes later and found a pile of soft gray under feathers and one red tale feather.
Hawks need to eat, but it made me sad to see it chose a beautiful cardinal for its lunch. I am sad when I see the female at the feeder, alone, perhaps mourning the loss of her mate. This experience reminded me of the reality of our fallen world where there are predators and prey, where the food chain is made up of strong animals that eat weak animals. It isn’t the way God created the world to be, but it is the way the world is because sin entered the Garden of Eden through Adam and Eve. We don’t know when but there will be a time that all creatures will dwell together in peace. There will be no more predator and prey.
God created a perfect world where everything and everyone lived in harmony. Human creatures brought sin into the world by rejecting God’s Word and trying to be like Him. Through Adam and Eve’s disobedience, even the animals had to live in a world where there are hunger and thirst, threats and danger. Even the animals are forced to live in conflict with one another. Paul tells us in Romans 8 that even creation groans in anticipation for the second coming of Jesus. All of creation is in a state of bondage, corruption, and futility. We know that lions do not lie with lambs and babies can’t play near a cobra’s nest. So, creation eagerly awaits God’s future glory.
There will come a day when the entire world is in harmony again. Even the wolves and the leopards will lie with the sheep and the goats. There will be no need for animals to kill, for even they will be satisfied by God’s provision. In that day even human beings will live in harmony with one another. No longer will there be men and women who harm others for the sake of some unnatural desire. There will be no need for war or hatred. Everyone will know God and will live according to His Word. Then, and only then, will we know true peace. Our journeys through life are not always pleasant and the things we see around us are at times quite horrific. It made me sad to see the death of a cardinal, but I struggle even more with the news stories that make our hearts sick with grief. As we look at the animals and their prey, we can know that one day none of that will be necessary for the Lord God Almighty will rule over a creation that lives in peace thanks to the grace of Jesus Christ and the promise of what He has won for us and all creation on the cross.
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276.