Under His Wings

An invitation to my library. Just love up on your Saviour with this touching gospel story shared by one of my admired authors. Curled (with granted permission) from the book titled: He Loves Me; by Wayne Jacobsen. (Pg.109) Happy feeding.

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THE HEN AND HER CHICKS

“…The forest fire had been brought under control, and the firefighters were making sure all the hot spots had been extin­guished. As they marched across the blackened landscape between the wisps of smoke still rising from the smoldering remains, a large lump on the trail caught a firefighter’s eye. As he got closer he noticed it was the charred remains of a large bird. Since birds can so easily fly away from the approaching flames, the firefighter wondered what was wrong with this bird that it could not escape. Had it been sick or injured? Arriving at the carcass, he decided to kick it off the trail with his boot. As he did, however, he was startled by a flurry of activity around his feet. Four little birds flailed in the dust and ash, then scurried down the hillside. The bulk of the mother’s body had covered them from the searing flames. Though the heat was enough to consume her, it allowed her babies to find safety underneath. In the face of the rising flames, she had stayed with her young. She was their only hope for safety, and willing to risk her own life she gath­ered them together and covered them with her own body. Even when the pain reached its most unbearable moment, when she could easily have flown away to start another family on another day, she made herself stay through the raging flames.

Her dead carcass and her fleeing chicks told the story well enough—she gave the ultimate sacrifice to save her young. It also illustrates an even greater story—this one almost incom­prehensible. In this story it is the Creator of heaven and earth who does exactly the same thing to rescue his wayward children from their own destruction.

Rather than taking delight in their coming devastation, he offered to risk his life to take part in their rescue. In words both poetic and poi­gnant he makes them an incredible offer.

UNDER HIS WINGS

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…” (Matthew  23:37)

Jesus invoked the same image the firefighter had seen in the woods. He presented himself as a hen trying to gather chicks to herself. That only happens when danger presses in upon them. A hen doesn’t nurse her children or cuddle them to sleep. But when a predator comes near or the coop catches on fire she will try to gather them under her wings. Pulling them beneath her she will cover them with her body, risking her own life for their safety.

Jesus could see the firestorm their own sin had produced approaching… It would devour them utterly. Even though many in that crowd would cry for his crucifixion only a few days later, he still wanted them. Like the hen, he offered them a safe place under his wings, willing to endure the fire to the point of death to rescue whoever wanted to come.

When it would have been so easy for him to abandon them to the fate they deserved, he was going to stay and meet the approaching fire in its full fury. What must it take for a bird to stay over her babies as the fire draws ever-closer, then begins to sear her neck and back? What must it have taken for God himself to endure the fury of the wrath our sins deserved and stay through it to the end so that those under his wings might be saved?…

When you understand what really happened there, then you will know how much you are loved. When you know how much you’re loved you’ll find trusting him to be as easy as breathing…”

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I believe you were blessed by this.

Enjoy your days “Under His Wings”.

Amen.