Under the Father's wings

I will multiply them, and put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling shall be with them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Ezekiel 37:26-27)

Think about the way a hen gathers her chicks. She will spread her wings out to provide a safe place for them if there is any danger. As the chicks burrow under their mother’s wings, you can’t even tell they are hiding there. Well, this is how God wants you to think of him. 

The children of Israel had turned away from him and gone after false gods. They had turned away from their covenant with him, and now they were reaping the consequences of their sin: their Temple was destroyed, and they were sent away in shame to live as exiles in a foreign land. Still, even as they adjusted to their new status as refugees, God promised through the prophet Ezekiel that he would gather them back under his wings. He would forgive them and renew his covenant of peace with them. He would deliver them from exile.

What God promised for the Israelites he has also promised for us—and he has fulfilled that promise in a surprising, powerful way! When we were lost in the exile of sin, he sent his Son Jesus to bring us home. On the cross, Jesus gave up his life so that we could find shelter in our Father’s wings.

This is who your God is. He gathers and he protects. He heals and he delivers. He is very near to us, always ready to welcome us with open arms. Even if we feel unworthy or distant, that’s not how he sees us. He sees us as vulnerable children needing his protection and guidance—something he’s always ready to give.

So run to the shelter of God’s wings today. Place your trust in him. When you feel tempted to be angry or give into ungodly thoughts, when you feel downcast or worried, when you are unsure or confused, run to him. He will never refuse you!

“Thank you, Father, for your love and mercy! Thank you that I can run to you at any time to find your protection and comfort. You are my deliverer, my shelter, my hope. All I need is in you.”

from wau.org