Out in the farm yard, you will see a brooding hen with her chickens. They run about through the day, but as night comes on she cackles and they run for rest to the cover of her wings, where warmth during the cold night, and safety are both provided there.
It was such a night as this that was in the Saviour’s mind, and perhaps before his eyes, when he uttered those sad words to the people of Jerusalem: “How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would net.” Matt. 23:3737O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! (Matthew 23:37). They would not come under His WINGS OF SALVATION. And so they perished.
How different it was with one who belonged to a foreign race, a daughter of Moab, who when she had heard of the God of Israel, came to Him, and was welcomed and blessed by Him under whose WINGS OF SHELTER she had come to trust (Ruth 2: 12). She was safe and happy there.
How safe and how well she and all who put their trust in the shadow of these wings, which are not only wings of shelter, but WINGS OF STRENGTH, that bear up, and keep from falling those who are saved. Just as the eagle stretches out her mighty wings and upon them bears her young, before they are able to fly, so the Lord does for all those who are His. Thus saved, sheltered, and borne along on the strength of the Lord, they are freed from fear and made swift to serve the One who has served them.
The WINGS OF SERVICE (Isa. 6:22Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. (Isaiah 6:2)) of the heavenly host come last, for salvation and strength must precede service for the Lord. You cannot serve until you are saved, but all who trust in Jesus are saved to both worship and serve Him.
ML 05/28/1967