With a few last businesslike clucks, Mother Hen spread her wings just a bit more to make room to tuck the last little chick under her wings for the night. How she made room for all of her big family no one could quite tell—but she always did!
What a busy day it had been for Mother Hen! The sky had just been growing light when the big rooster sent out his ringing crow, and the day had begun. All morning long Mother Hen scratched and hunted for food for her hungry little chicks.
Once the neighbor's dog poked his head through the back fence, wondering if he dared have some fun chasing the chickens, but he disappeared in a hurry as Mother Hen flew straight at him with her wings spread out wide and her beak, open, ready to peck at his eyes! Later a shadow fell across the chicken yard, and with her very sharpest cluck Mother Hen called her babies and huddled them safely under her wings until she was sure that all danger was gone. She knew that that shadow had meant that a chicken hawk was circling overhead looking for a stray chick for his dinner!
Then in the afternoon black clouds had gathered in the sky and the air felt suddenly cool, but every chick was safely tucked under before the big drops of rain began to spatter and the storm broke.
Now it was night time. Mother Hen cocked a sleepy eye for a last watchful look about to see that all was well, and then with a soft cluck settled herself for the night!
One day the Lord Jesus said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem .... how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matthew 23:3737O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! (Matthew 23:37)). How sad that they would not! Can you think of any other place so safe, or as happy as to be under the wings of the Lord Jesus?
He would like to have every boy and girl today under His wings too! Life has many dangers and many storms, but no one trusting in the Lord Jesus will ever need to be afraid of them. Boys and girls do not like to think of dying, but how wonderful it will be if when the nightfall of your life comes you may close your eyes, knowing that you are safe in the shelter of those wings!
Will you not take the Lord Jesus as your Savior now? Thank Him for dying for your sin on the cross, and just receive His salvation! Then trust those wonderful Wings as He cares for you each day!