David DeWitt tells a humorous story about Chippie the parakeet. He was minding his own business, singing his song one day, when his owner decided to clean his cage with a vacuum cleaner. The phone rang, and she stepped away to answer it—and that’s when everything went wrong.
Without warning, the vacuum sucked up the bird and sent him into the dust bag. Realizing what had happened, the woman rushed back, tore open the vacuum, and ripped the bag apart, fearing the worst. Amazingly, Chippie was still alive—just stunned and covered with dust.
Thinking he needed reviving, she carried him to the sink and turned on the water, holding him under the faucet. Now cold and soaked, Chippie endured yet another shock. Determined to help, the owner reached for a hair dryer and blasted him with hot air.
From being sucked up…to nearly drowned…to being blown over—Chippie had been through quite an ordeal.
A few weeks later, a friend asked how the bird was doing. The owner replied, “Chippie doesn’t sing much anymore—he just sits and stares.”
Have you ever felt like Chippie—shocked, shaken, and silenced? One moment you’re singing a happy tune, and the next, life knocks the wind out of you. Trouble, trials, and trauma have a way of draining our spirit and stealing the song from our souls.
The debilitating effects of sin touch us all—directly or indirectly. Broken trust, selfish choices, and wounded relationships leave us feeling betrayed, empty, and alone.
In those moments, we need to be anchored again in one of Scripture’s most powerful assurances—Romans 8:38–39:
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God’s love is greater than any adversity. Higher than any hurdle. Deeper than any hole. Wider than any sea. Stronger than any storm. Sweeter than any human love.
His love cannot be extinguished, bought, sold, compromised, or diminished.
There is no circumstance, no person, no problem—not even our own rebellion—that can separate us from the love of God.
God has made a conscious choice to love us—even while we were yet sinners.
His love is long-suffering, kind, and unselfish. Wide enough to include all people. Deep enough to forgive all sins. Long enough to use all people for His purpose.
Our Heavenly Father is the very definition of love. He loves more and gives more than we can possibly fathom.
God’s immeasurable love was never meant to be received in a vacuum—to be enjoyed in isolation or separated from our daily interactions with others. It is meant to flow through us.
Since we are such blessed recipients of His love, shouldn’t that move us to share it? To exemplify it in our lives? To demonstrate it to those who are hurting, lonely, and discouraged—to people who feel like Chippie, with the song knocked out of their soul?
Indeed, the love of Christ should move us, control us, and rule our lives (2 Cor. 5:14).
When God’s love fills the heart, it cannot help but overflow—love more, give more.
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
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