Under the Shadow of His Wings

A pile of freshly raked leaves beckons my daughter to play, just one more time today. But darkness has come and engulfed our yard. What felt safe only hours before is now too scary to experience alone.

I offer to go outside with her…to give her a grace today.

I stay on the patio, moving every so often to keep the motion-sensored light on. She’s nearby lying with two flashlights in the leaf pile. A pile of leaves makes a cozy bed. Flashlights beam at the leaf-giving tree above.

“Mommy, if you weren’t here, I’d be so scared I couldn’t sleep.”

Sometimes knowing God is there gives us the courage to face the darkness..the unknown.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:35, 37-39

Wind blows. Eyesight hindered by the darkness awakens ears to new sounds. Some sounds are scary in the dark. Even if mama is nearby.

She comes into the light and under the safety of my arm. Held in my embrace, I coax her to close her eyes and listen again. Gentle wind rustles leaves still pinned to branches of trees. Sounds that were scary just moments before, now bring delight. The sounds had not changed, but ears hear differently when they are safely held in protective arms.

“I feel extra safe with your arms around me, knowing that you love me.”

Sometimes the noises of the world are deafeningly frightening when we’re in the dark, when we face the unknown. Knowing God will never leave us is too intangible at times like that. We need to feel the safety of His protective arms. We run to Him and He covers us with His wings.

How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. – Psalm 36:7