Ezra 1:30 I gathered you together, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings.......
Chicks in the shell communicate with mom and with each other by peeping. So the hen has a pretty good idea of what's going on and she clucks to the eggs to encourage them. When there are no eggs still peeping, mom considers the hatch complete and goes into caregiver role... takes the chicks for their first walk, shows them how to eat and drink etc.
Just as the mother hen cares for her chicks, the Bible compares the hen to God caring for His people. He knows us before we have even opened our eyes to see Him. He is our encouragement and strength and hope. He walks with us and talks with us and teaches us how to read our Bible and gives us clear understanding. He has given us the Greatest Teacher we could ever hope to have, and that is the Holy Ghost.
Many times we think of animals or even humans, and we see that when babies get scared they immediately run to their mother for safety. God is our refuge, and we can run to Him and find peace in the midst of trials and sufferings. Peace is not the absence of trials and temptations, it is the calmness in the midst of them knowing we are safe and secure in Him.
Psalms57:1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Sometimes, there are those that wait to come to Jesus or that are ashamed or too scared. I know sometimes when I was younger in Youth Camp or even just in a normal Church service there would be an altar call and I would be too afraid to step out and go pray; however, we never know when our time on earth is over. We should make things right while we have time, because we are not promised tomorrow and though God is merciful and longsuffering, He does not have to give us unlimited opportunities to serve Him.
Luke 13:24] Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. [25] When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
None of us want to hear those words "I know you not". We all want to know the Lord. We want to inherit the Kingdom of God that He has promised to all who will walk in the way of righteousness, striving for perfection. So many songs nowadays that play on Christian radio stations basically say that perfection is impossible, but it is not. How do we know that? Because the Bible says it is so! Just as the mother hen loves and cares for her young and doesn't want any to die, Jesus loves and cares for us so much more. You don't have to be alone in a world full of fear and danger and sin, come to the Lord and find peace, hope, refuge, and love in the shadow of His wings.
I want to close with a story about peace that was told in our VBS this week...
Once upon a time, there was a king who offerred a painting contest requesting the artists draw picutres of peace. Three of the best painters in the kingdom responded to the request of the king. When the time came to unveil the masterpieces, a banquet was held and many people came. As the first painting was uncovered, the people marveled as they saw beautiful scenery of fields with the outstretched horizon as its' backdrop. The king was pleased with the first painting and ordered that the painting be placed in the courtyard of the palace where everyone could see it. After this, everybody was anticipating the second painting to be revealed. Again the citizens and the king were in awe as they looked at the beauty of a sunset. “Peaceful,” the king uttered with a sigh. The king ordered that the painting be placed in the palace’s biggest hall where people of high importance always walk. The king couldn’t wait any longer as he ordered for the third and final painting to be unveiled. Murmuring filled the room as the king was shocked by the image before him. Despair marked the king's countenance as he looked upon the dark clouds and raging storm of the last painting. The artist had captured the furry of the wind as it whipped black rain clouds laced with streaks of lightning. The foreboding sky was filled with the power of the furious thunderstorm. “This has nothing to do with peace,” he thought. But suddenly, he noticed something that made him leap from his throne and stand in front of the painting. As he smiled he said, “Place this piece in the master’s bedroom so that I will always be reminded of peace.” What the king saw after he gazed on the ugly darkness of the painting was a mother bird with her baby birds all nestled sleeping under her wings. Now that's peace. Not the absence of the storm, but peace in the middle of the storm.
Do you know that peace?
-[Destiny Turner]
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