Do you ever have days when you wish you could resign from being an adult? Do you ever wish you could return to the serenity of childhood? I certainly have. Finding joy in God’s creation can help us have the bliss of childhood.
As my grown daughter and I are rushing around in the morning to get the children dressed, fed, lunches packed, and get everyone out the door, we often say, “Do we have to be an adult today?”
Your circumstances may be different. My guess is that you have had those types of days, full of demands, burdens, or responsibilities that you wish could be taken off your plate.
We can learn from God’s creation about how to have security and serenity.
People And Poultry Have Things In Common
Every spring we have a multitude of baby poultry on the farm. Which ones are the cutest is hard to say. One thing is certain, their mother’s feathers are critical in the growth and development of these little ones. This relationship holds the key to understanding how we can enjoy the bliss of childhood when we are an adult.
Wings Of Protection: Finding Joy In God’s Creation
Baby poultry have one thing in common. They all find protection under their mother’s wings. They run to her at the slightest sign of danger. This instinct is built into their genetic code to protect them from hawks, rats, snakes, and other predators. The mothers sound an alarm if little babies get too far away.
Wings Of Warmth
Baby birds also find warmth under their mother’s feathers. Without this provision, they would die. They are not able to maintain their own body temperature until their baby fuzz has been replaced with a full set of feathers, which takes about 4 weeks. So while they scamper around to eat, play and explore their world for brief periods, they always return to the comfort of their mama.
Wings For Us
There are many scriptures that talk about God’s provision and protection for us “under His wings”. Just the Psalms alone use this imagery no less than 6 times (Psalm 17:8, 36:7, 57:1, 61:4, 63:7, 91:4). God wants to provide us with emotional and spiritual protection.
Wings are also mentioned when the Biblical figure Ruth was commended for her association with the God of her mother-in-law.
“The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” Ruth 2:12
Wings Of Strength: More Joy In God’s Creation
Scripture has another reference to “wings” which is featured in Isaiah 40:31. We can have the same ability as eagles do to soar with unpredictable wind currents while we wait on the Lord.
“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.”
Life is full of unpredictable winds: sickness, death, loss of relationships, loss of jobs to name a few. God has given us ways to have emotional and spiritual stability in an unstable world, one of which is to find Him in the world around us.
Refusing The Wings
While protection, provision, and strength can be ours, scripture also gives a warning about refusing all that God has for us. Jesus talked about His desire to gather His people, Israel, to Himself,
“Like a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings,” but they refused it. (Matthew 23:37, Luke 13:34) “Let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he falls.” (I Corinthians 10:12)
Many people in Jesus’ day were in danger because they refused to be within the safety of God’s wings. Today the same thing is true. We are vulnerable to emotional and spiritual attack as well as certain spiritual death apart from a relationship with God. If we choose to, we can be like baby poultry who wander away from their mothers.
Finding Joy In God’s Creation
Are you taking advantage of God’s protection and provision for your life? The first step is to know Him through a personal relationship with Jesus. If you want to discuss how to know Jesus, please call or text 1-888-need-Him, or “chat” at www.chataboutJesus.com. Someone there is waiting to talk to you.
A Gift For You
I would like to give you the scripture card shown here to help remind you that strength and provision are found in our Creator God.
Simply click on the photo to download it. No email required.
When printed in a smaller size, it can easily be laminated and hung with string or ribbon.
Also see the resource page for journal pages, books, and music on finding hope, joy, and peace.