Thoughts for another day

April 21, 2008

Today's verse: Lk. 13:34. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Here is a picture of the Love, God has for us, because of which He is wants to gather us to Himself like a hen does its chicks intending to give them the security of its bosom and the warmth they’d need to face the coldness of the world outside. If we bring to mind this picture, it’s easy to comprehend the immensity of the love the Lord has for us. What’s splendid is that He Himself describes this love albeit, in an illustration of an everyday village scene in Jerusalem concerning the young ones of a hen.

We know that as we live, the coarseness of the world seeps into our hearts and makes us coarse too. The beauty of innocence is lost in this coarseness and the softness of total trust is blown away. What emerges is a hard heart devoid of emotions and good feelings even as animosity and jealousy take root. It affects us and can hamper us in our daily living. Then again, the nature of other human beings can be pretty threatening bringing fear into our minds. At this juncture, we long for the covering of an oyster of safety and search for meaning in life and something other than strife.

Haven’t you too gone through this and desired a soothing hand upon you? In our verse today, God is offering us the same. He is going out of the way to give us comfort and solace and also total safety. What is surprising if you were to consider it is that, He is doing it, not because we have requested Him to, but because He knows we need it. He knows that by our sinfulness, we have strayed beyond the circle of His protection and have made ourselves unworthy of His hand of safety. But still, He is there at the point in time when we need Him. Really, how beautiful God is and how gently He comes to us and helps us even when the clouds of gloom are all over us and even perhaps when we are threatened by the repercussions of our own sinfulness. Now the question is, will we accept His love?