Like a Bird

Scripture

Psalm 91:1-4

¹ He who takes refuge in the shelter of the Most High
    will be safe in the shadow of the Almighty.
² He will say to the Eternal, “My shelter, my mighty fortress,
    my God, I place all my trust in You.”
³ For He will rescue you from the snares set by your enemies who entrap you
    and from deadly plagues.
⁴ Like a bird protecting its young, God will cover you with His feathers,
    will protect you under His great wings;
    His faithfulness will form a shield around you, a rock-solid wall to protect you.  

 (VOICE Translation)

Devotion

I am fascinated by the places where God is described as a bird taking care of its young.  Birds are not generally known for their boldness.  Given the choice, most of them would rather fly from an threat than engage in direct confrontation with it.  But everything changes once you add some eggs or fledglings to the mix.  Suddenly, the creature that would usually fly away is ready to just stand its ground but even go on the offensive.

 A mockingbird who built a nest outside my home has spent the last week dive-bombing one of the neighborhood cats every time it sees her.  The cat in question is notorious for catching bluejays, but she now shrinks down in fear and tries to get away as fat as she can every time the mockingbird begins its squawking approach.  I've seen videos fighting off venomous snakes or riding out horrific storms while their chicks huddle beneath wings.  I recently had  my own encounter with a killdeer who had decided I had gotten too close to her hidden nest.  The bird ran up to within 3 feet of me and stared me down for a good 30 seconds before she began her usual routine of faking an injury in hopes of leading me her eggs.  When it comes to protecting their young, I don't' think there is an animal out out there that is fiercer or more determined than a bird.

Psalm 91's statement that God will protect us like a bird protects its young is a source of great encouragement.    When the storms of life rain down heavily upon us, God brings us under her wings and uses her feathers to shield us from the worst of the pain.  When others would do us harm, we can huddle in God's shadow and trust her to keep us safe.  When we find ourselves in danger, God promises to fly into action to rescue us from our foes.  God the Bird will always be faithful to us.  That divine faithfulness and ferocity can give us the courage we need to keep true to our faith as we take shelter beneath God's wings.

The next time we feel assailed by life's dangers, let us take time to remember God the Bird, who is here to keep us safe.  We may not always understand how God is helping us during our times of hardship, but when we look back later, we will discover that God never wavered in her commitment to shield, protect, and defend us.  And with God the Bird to keep us safe we will surely make it to the time of salvation.

 

 

Prayer

God, we thank you for being our great protector.  May you continue to protect us under your great wings.  We trust that with you to act as our cover and shield, we will be saved from all that would do us harm.