I don’t know if it’s necessarily become a national headline yet, but, at least where I am, everybody is talking about the amazing number of cicadas we’ve had this year. I have personally seen as many as forty of them on a single plant, and even as I write this post I can hear their resounding chorus filling the air. According to our local conservation department these periodical cicadas emerge no more than once every thirteen years and will be completely died off in about a month.

Think about that for just a minute and see if it reminds you of anything in particular.

Like cicadas, our own life is nothing more than “a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” (James 4:14) We are glints in the night sky, and as short-lived as the beauty of a fading flower (James 1:10). Yet despite our absolute nothingness and obvious frailty, the almighty God of heaven takes the time to love us despite our weakness and care for us despite our inability to pay Him pack. He still listens to the prayers of His children and demonstrates His amazing mercy each time He thinks on our names. He owes us nothing, yet still gives us more than we could ever deserve.

“What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him?”

               -Psalm 8:4

Even though there may be things in your life you wish you could change and prayers that haven’t been answered the way you wanted them to be, the fact that the Lord of all the earth thinks about you every day (Jeremiah 29:11) should be enough to keep anybody encouraged. What more could we ask for?