Psalm 63:3-7

Because your steadfast love is better than life,

my lips will praise you.

So I will bless you as long as I live;

in your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,

and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

when I remember you upon my bed,

and meditate on you in the watches of the night;

for you have been my help,

and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

A few weeks have past since I last jotted down a few thoughts during Lent. I have been turning over the phrase, “for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy,” in my heart and mind. It cause me to think of Jesus saying, ““O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

When I was much younger my safe place was on my mother’s lap. I could curl up with my head under her chin hearing her heart beating and her breath no slowly moving my head up and down in peaceful rhythm. I know some of you did not find your mother safe and this thought could bring back memories of abuse, devastation and despair.

Great Healer and Holder of all who are broken please place your peace, compassion, mercy and care on those who hurt because of their mothers.

My experience is one of care, love and safety. I am grateful to God for my mom. As I grew I still wanted to sit on my mom’s lap but I was to big. That didn’t stop me from having her sit on my lap. I can’t recall how old I was but I remember not really being in a good place and saying that I needed her to hold me. She climbed on my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck and I fell into the rhythm of her breath and into security and joy.

Can you imagine not wanting the care, cover and confidence that comes from resting under Christ wing? Christ longs to gather us in so that we are helped and filled with joy. Our posture can be like the Pharisees that Jesus is speaking to and lamenting over. We are unwilling. We prefer to do the work on our own. We have it figured out and can handle it. Thanks for the offer but we have it from here. During lent we are reminded of our brokenness and our need to be made whole. Christ longs to gather us under His wing. He calls out to us and we can come and rest and rejoice. He offers Himself in His steadfast love and we just need to climb up in His lap.

You are the One who gathers us in and under your wing. Your steadfast love brings care and joy. Help us to be willing. Teach our rebellious hearts to stop resisting and rest in your good provision and care. In our recongnition of our brokenness keep us from despair that might cause us to resist in shame. Let us run to your embrace and you run toward us. In Christ, amen.