Tuesday June 28, 2011

When I was about 5 years old my grandpa came for a visit from Powell, Wyoming and brought me a surprise. In this crate he brought were six banty chickens. I have no idea what my folks thought, but I know what I was thinking. They were so cute and cuddly. He and my dad proceeded to build a chicken coop and fence around the coop in our back yard. It was my responsibility to feed them each day and give them some water. My favorite chicken was named Sugar. Sugar and I had a love affair. I loved her and she loved me. I would come out and go into the chicken coop and get in a sitting position and she would come and hop in my lap. I would turn her over on her back and rub her stomach and she loved it. Over the course of time she had babies, but it was in the winter in Colorado and would freeze nightly. One morning I went out to chip the ice off the water bowl and I went into the chicken coop to see how the babies were doing. I couldn’t find them and got worried that something had happened to them. I looked all around and suddenly I heard a faint chirp from one of the little babies. They were all under Sugars wings nestled safe and warm by the mothers feathers.

I was reminded of this story when I read the passage in Psalms this morning where David says, “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”(Psalm 91:4 NIV). What a beautiful picture of God wanting to take us under his wings and cover us with security, warmth, comfort, rest, and safety. He is willing to provide for us His protection. It is our responsibility to move under His wing. Had Sugar’s babies decided to do their own thing, they would have died in the Colorado freezing night. When we move out of God’s protection, He can’t provide his power and wisdom and direction to the path we choose to go on. Jesus also used the mother chicken illustration in Matthew 23:37 where He says, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem. How I wish I could have gathered you under my wings like a chicken gathers her chickens, but you were unwilling.”.

Today on our journey, we have the choice to go it alone, or find support under God’s wings.