May I?

He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may take refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and wall.  Psalm 91:4 (NASB)

“Mother May I” is a game for the ages. A group of players selects someone to be the Mother who faces away from the group. Her goal is to bring the players toward the finish line as equally as possible, hampering anyone in the lead. The goal of the players is to be the first one to reach the finish line and replace Mother. The players politely request they take various steps to move them closer to the end. Mother controls when and how they move. It takes quite a bit of maneuvering with some luck to reach the end and become Mother. 

God stands in sharp contrast to the image of Mother in this game. He watches over us (Psalm 33:113-14). He invites us to call to Him for answers (Jeremiah 33:3). He instructs us to follow Him (Matthew 4:19). He directs us to remain in Him (John 15:4). He longs for us to be saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). And He promises He will provide refuge under His sheltering wings (Psalm 91:4). 

God loved us so much that He sacrificed His own life to free us from the bondage of wickedness. He died to set us free, yet He doesn’t force His will upon us. He allows us to choose whom we follow and serve. Even if we choose to go our own way, He waits with open arms for us to return to Him. 

Who knew that 2020 would usher in a plethora of struggles? Covid and death, fear and detachment, division and strife, distress and despair, suffering and sorrow, political rivalry, virtual reality—have I left anything out? During these many conflicts, I wonder where people sought help. Where did you go for help? Who or what do you trust to protect you?

Months ago while quarantining, I began to search for help. I opened my Bible to Psalm 91. An intensifying calm settled in my soul as I read each verse. I decided to read it again, but the fourth verse interrupted the flow. I needed to unravel the meaning. What I discovered has imprinted my mind with beautiful imagery—God is like a mother hen. 

Yes, God is like a mother hen where we can find shelter. Listen with your heart as you read these words: He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may take refuge.

The flight of birds, especially eagles, renders vigor. Their wings mirror strength. Scripture informs us that hope in the Lord renews our strength, like soaring on wings of eagles (Isaiah 40:31). The image of such a flight illustrates the power God supplies His people. 

But oh the surprising and yet comforting picture of a mother hen. The hen moves about in a big backyard near the chicken coop. Her little chicks are scattered and roaming all over. Suddenly a shadow flies over, resembling that of a hawk. The mother hen sees the danger, but doesn’t chase after her chicks. She simply expands her wings and clucks her warning sound. It’s the choice of the chicks to run to her for shelter. Once she is surrounded by chicks, she pulls her wings in close, tucking them close to her. If the hawk plans on getting the chicks, he must go through her first. What a beautiful illustration of Jesus’ love for us all. 

The depiction of the sheltering winged feathers of a mother hen exemplifies God’s protection and intimacy over us. He offers His help while allowing us the freedom to choose. He will cover us with His feathers where we may take refuge if we run to Him with faith, confessing with our mouths and believing in our hearts.

When Jesus walked the earth, He tried to warn the religious leaders about all the evil they were involved in. He reminded them how prophets had been sent to them with God’s truth. He loved even them and yearned to save them. But they chose not to take heed. His heart grieved as He spoke these words to them:

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.”  Matthew 23:37 (NLT)

Father God loves us like a mother hen. He will shelter us under His strong arms, if we run to Him. We can find refuge under His wings, but it’s our choice. If we choose His protection, we can rest assured that any danger lurking nearby must contend with Him first. Secured under His wings, we gain trust in Him because He is faithful to His promises. 

You are My Hiding Place

Clouds enveloped the tall lit cross rising skyward alongside the hills. The overcast heavens seem to drape the earth with gloom. Even though another cloudy gray day loomed with despair, the noble symbol of Christ’s passion manifested a safe harbor for my soul. 

As I sat and gazed off in the distance at the cross, all the events of the past month came to mind. Sadness threatened to overwhelm me. I recalled sitting face to face with an anxious mother whose daughter had chosen to remain with a controlling boyfriend. The young woman was in danger and the mother had wanted to rescue her. Helplessly shedding tears together, we clung to the hope of Jesus Christ, our refuge.

Two weeks later, I got news of the death of a family member, my dad’s brother, a beloved uncle. With broken hearts, my sisters and I traveled eight hours to offer love and support to his wife and children and their families. We understood their pain, having lost both of our parents. Together we all grieved his passing from us, but celebrated his eternal life with Jesus. His earthly example of a true Christ follower emboldened us all to seek shelter through Jesus. 

The eight hour return trip home coupled with sorrow caused fatigue in my body, giving way to the pains of degenerative discs and sciatica. The numbing pain throughout my back, hip, left leg and foot threatened to remove my focus from God. I cried out to Him for help and I know He heard my pleas. “You’re my sanctuary, Lord God, help me with this pain,” I said. 

And then there is this coronavirus that the entire world is reeling from. The uncertainty of it all is wreaking havoc on our daily lives. But strength and calm can be found through belief in Jesus Christ. He is near to those who call on Him.

One of the greatest kings of all time, King David, experienced profuse hardships. Whether running for his life from men who desired to kill him or suffering heartache from the death of his baby conceived in sin, David understood fear and pain. And yet he acknowledged the power of Almighty God. David’s words of anguish as well as praise poured from his heart to God’s heart in psalms and spiritual songs. Because they ring true in everyday life, readers across the centuries have been able to speak David’s words back to God and find solace. 

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.  Psalm 32:6-7 (NIV)

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.  Psalm 17:8 (NIV)

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.  Psalm 27:5 (NIV)

Oh the conviction and comfort expressed in those passages. David trusted in the Lord, even in the midst of bleak circumstances. He recognized the perfect power of the Lord God Almighty. He offered his moments of doubt to the One he trusted. He hid in the shelter of his Protector and Provider. And God delivered his soul from the angst that surrounded him, filling him with peace. 

When we trust God in the middle of our situations, He envelops us with His shelter of calm. The mother I sat with trusted God through her tears. She believed God to be in control and gained strength from God’s promises. The trust in God exhibited by my grieving family fortified all those who came to support them. We lifted up poignant praise to the One who strengthened us all. While continuing to suffer pain in my body, I am gaining strength from the promises of God. He is my hiding place. And this corona thing—we just must trust! Trust in God to surround us with songs of deliverance.

Right now I am gazing off in the distance, finding no cross. It is hidden from my sight. But I know it’s there, just as I know my Savior Jesus Christ infuses His strength into my soul. I will not fear though the earth give way. Instead I will trust God to deliver me. When troubles come my way, I declare Him to be my hiding place. 

“Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in you.
Psalm 143:9”