PSALM
17
Keep
me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings
from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who
surround me.
—Psalm
17:8-9 NIV
One might think that the safest place for a
baby marsupial is in its mother’s pouch. In truth, a mother quokka (one of the
cutest and most photogenic animals because of its natural smile) is hardly winning
any mother-of-the-year awards. When threatened, quokkas, kangaroos, and other
marsupials will relax their pouch muscles, causing the baby to fall to the
ground. In the ultimate survival strategy, the mother gets away while the baby
flails around on the ground, making noise and distracting the predator. According
to an article by environment reporter Nick Kilvert, she’s more interested in
her own survival and future reproduction. I can’t think of a sadder or more
pathetic image than that wee creature, crying out for protection but receiving
none.
A mother bird, however, regardless of
species, will rarely abandon her young. Instead, the hen shields her chicks
under her wings from predators, from the elements, and from other dangers. The
image is so powerful, it’s used multiple times in scripture—a beautiful image
for us of God’s sheltering protection. The mother bird cherishes her little
ones with the warmth of her own heart. We may not enjoy seeing ourselves as
helpless and vulnerable as a baby bird. But in those moments of threat from any
source, how precious to know we have a God who shelters us under his wings.
Question
for reflection: David wanted to be kept by God as if he were something valuable
and even fragile. He saw himself as God’s cherished child. Do I?
No comments:
Post a Comment