Covered By His Wings
The short excerpt is by Tim Keller, and the Scripture is Psalm 91:4. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Let's just say that you are one of the cool kids, and you are in high school. Here's a girl that is dorky, and nobody likes her. Since she is isolated and alienated, you try to reach out and be a friend to her. The next thing that you know the other cool girls are coming to you saying, "What are you doing with her?"
What is happening is that some of that dorky-ness is rubbing off on you. You aren't cool anymore if you hang out with her. There is no way for you to diminish her isolation and alienation without you entering into it and some of it falling down on you.
After a fire in Yellowstone, forest rangers began their trek up the mountain to survey the damage. One ranger found a bird that was literally petrified in ash perched on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by this eerie sight the ranger knocked the bird over with a stick, and three tiny chicks scurried out from under their dead mother's wings. When the blaze had arrived the mother had remained steadfast. Instead of running she just stayed put because she had been willing to die so that those under the cover of her wings would live.
The only way that you love a guilty, broken, messed up person to change them is that you have to do it substitutionarily. On the cross Jesus took our penalty upon himself and got what we deserved. Our sins and guilt and brokenness fell upon Him. He took it himself so that we could be forgiven.
Champions, have a great week!-David Vining
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