Under God's Wing

A devotion written for our church to complement Sunday's sermon. 

Under God’s Wing

Luke 13:31-35, Psalm 27

Paul Stroble

I told Pastor Linda that “full to the brim” was such a wonderful and different focus for Lent. She commented that the last couple of years has felt like Lent! I agreed and was glad to write an upbeat devotion this month.

For me, Lent has been a great time (among others) to be reminded of God's vast love. Psalms 42 and its companion 43 are examples. "For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you cast me off?" (Ps. 42:2). What a terrible concern, that God is not only silent but has rejected the psalmist! Fortunately, that isn't the last word, for the psalmist knows to "hang on": "Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God" (vs. 5). The psalmist isn't feeling praiseful now but will eventually.

The Bible is filled with images of comfort, consolation, and trust in God’s care. “Fear of the Lord” is respect for God’s sovereignty, which doesn’t mean we go around being afraid of God. God is abundantly safe and loving. Think no farther than the story of the Prodigal Son, or of the thief on the cross.   

A wonderful Hebrew word is machseh, translated as “dwelling place” (Deut. 33:27 RSV), or “refuge” (KJV and NIV).  Psalm 46:1 affirms that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Imagine God as a welcoming "place" to go when you're downhearted.

Another similar biblical word is mishgab, “stronghold.” Our Psalm 27 lesson has that word, which we find in other psalms as well.

The Lord is my light and my salvation;

   whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

   of whom shall I be afraid? (NRSV)

Our passage from Luke also has a wonderful, “maternal” image of God, in verse 34:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

According to one of my commentaries, Jesus is alluding to several prophets killed in Jerusalem: Uriah (Jer. 26:20-23), Zechariah (2 Chr. 24:20-22), prophets killed by Manasseh (2 Kings 21:16, 24:4), and non-biblical traditions about Isaiah. The passage alludes to a fact that many of us forget about Jesus: he elicited excitement among people who perceived him to be a prophet. Since Luke is writing these several years after Jesus’ earthly life, Luke is probably also alluding to the death of Stephen (Acts 7:58-60).

But can you imagine God as a mother bird who gathers the chicks beneath her wings, against the warmth of her body? Even now, I have an emotional (rather than theological) image of God as a parent who says, “Why did you get that B?” when you’ve otherwise made all As. No surprise that Jesus gives us a more loving and tender vision of God than our self-made and wrongheaded feelings! I’m going to take some time during Lent to meditate on that image of God as a sheltering and warm place.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, guide us this Lent and deepen our knowledge of your love for us.  Amen.