Under His Wings

"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 her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing"- Matthew 23:37 (NIV).

Killdeer, a bird about the size of a Robin, are known for their "crippled" act when a predator is too close to their nest of young. They will act like their wing is broken luring the predator away; then miraculous healing takes place and the parent bird flies away. It works, but some have not flown away quickly enough and became the sacrifice for their offspring's' survival. This makes me think of Jesus' sacrifice. Jesus lured the devil away from us, His was only a "crippled" act as well. He could have called armies of angels to fight for Him, but by His death, Jesus defeated death so death has no threat to His children. Where do little chicks run when sudden threat looms overhead? They run for cover, under their mother's wings. In this life we will have trouble, but we have a Protecting Parent; One that has longed to gather us under His wings, if we are willing: "He will cover [us] with His feathers, and under His wings [we] will find refuge; His faithfulness will be [our] shield and rampart" (Psalm 91:4). What a Savior!