Under His Wings

            “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.”  The biblical patriarch, Boaz, referred to Ruth as a woman who had come under the Lord’s wings for refuge. (Ruth 2:12)  Later, her great-grandson, King David asked the Lord in Psalm 17:8, “Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wings.”  In Psalm 57, he cried, “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!  For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by.”

            There is something so comforting about the picture of being sheltered by God’s wings.

            The footnote to Psalm 17:8 says, “God will protect us.  We must not conclude, however, that we have somehow misled God’s protection if we experience troubles.  God’s protection has far greater purposes than helping us avoid pain, it is to make us better servants for Him.  God also protects us by guiding us through painful circumstances, not only by helping us escape them. ‘The Shadow of Your Wings’ is a figure of speech symbolizing God’s protection.  He guards us just as a mother bird protects her young by covering them with her wings.

As you’ll see in my story some day, I took comfort in the words of the old hymns after prodigalism hit our home.  One I came across and had never heard before was titled “Under His Wings” by William O. Cushing. Here are the words to this hymn written in the 1800’s.

Under His wings I am safely abiding, Tho the night deepens and tempests are wild;  Still I can trust Him I know He will keep me, He has redeemed me and I am His Child.  Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow!  How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!  Often when earth has no balm for my healing, there I find comfort and there I am blest.  Under His wings, O what precious enjoyment!  There will I hide ‘til life’s trials are o’er.  Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me, resting in Jesus I’m safe evermore.  Under His wings, under his wings, who from His love can sever?  Under His wings my soul shall abide, Safely abide forever.

I asked my younger son Christopher a couple of years after our older son left us, if he were asked how he got through the tough times, which they were so for him, a young boy just entering his teen years, entering a public school for the very first time, not understanding why his big brother was just gone and watching his parents feeling so sad, and he having to learn how to deal with anger and ugly thoughts, what would he say to those who asked. He simply said “Jesus”.  I believe if his soul could speak audibly, the words to this song is what you would hear.  And as the footnote above said, he became a better servant, gained more compassion, leading a friend to the Savior and showing that same kind of love towards others.

I'm so thankful for those wonderful, miraculous wings from above that shelters, gives the balm of healing, and provides comfort like no other and offers peace and rest that can be found in no other like Him.

May you who need comfort, shelter, to find refuge, find it beneath His wings.