 | | Psalm 36:7 "How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings."
It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. God often paints a picture, like He does in Psalm 36, so that we learn not only by the power of the written word but also byour own observations. What I mean by that is, God could have said what He said in Psalm 36:7 in a paragraph or two, but all He needed was one picture and our observations from life fill in the "canvas."
In verse 7, we first find an exclamation-"How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God!" God's mercy-His steadfast faithfulness-is worth exclaiming! In the second part of the verse, we find an illustration of what trust means. "Put[ting] their trust under the shadow of thy wings" may speak of several things, but it certainly speaks of protection.
The tallest tree in my front yard became the chosen venue for a little bird to make her house. I usually do not give much thought to birds, even the ones who are renting space in my yard. But during a recent thunderstorm, when the wind was blustering and the rain was driving, I was awakened from sleep with one thought on my mind: "Oh no! The little bird!" I know it is natural for birds to be in the wind since they are made to catch wind, but I wasn't about to trade my comfortable and secure house for her nest!
Well, the morning after the storm, I happened to think about this bird again. On my way out the front door, I wondered how far she had flown in the monstrous storm. To my surprise, there she sat on a branch without a care in the world! I'm not about to find out, but I suppose the safest place on the Bill Rice Ranch during a thunderstorm is under this bird's wings!
Not only does God's picture of a bird's wings speak of protection, but it also speaks of patience. I can't help but see my silly bird in this psalm! Anytime you go past the tree-morning, noon, or night-you will find the exact same thing. She is so calm she looks bored! There she sits, content and patiently waiting. I'm not an expert on how much time a bird egg requires to hatch, but I can guarantee you one thing-my bird will be there until it happens! My bird reminds me that God is a patient God. His protection does not come because of our goodness; His protection comes because of His patience.
This psalm's picture speaks not only of protection and patience, but also of peace. One night after supper, my family and I were taking a drive in our golf cart. Two deer zipped past us in the opposite direction-they were terrified and running for their lives! I found the source of their fear when we passed our neighbor, Mrs. Reeves, who had been chasing the deer with her golf cart! "They were in my flowers!" she exclaimed. These two deer weren't running from a hunter with a gun; they were running from a sweet flower gardener who was out for vengeance! The deer may have been frightened, but not my little bird! She is the very picture of peace. In her nest, her eggs are safe. There is no safer place to be than in the nest with my bird! The Bible speaks of the peace of God, and the place to find His peace is under His wings.
Trust in the shadow of God's wings today. There is protection, patience, and peace under His wings. If you happen to pass a bird today, I hope you'll remember the truths about God that are pictured in Psalm 36.
| | - Revival services tonight in White House, TN | | | |
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