Heaven had so much to offer the Jewish nation. The prophets of God were in its midst and delivered the precious words of the Bible to them (Rom. 3:1) for a thousand years. Even more than this was the fact that God longed to dwell among them, but they rejected Him in His holy temple. Finally, Jesus came and vividly illustrated all that God still had to offer them. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem . . . How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing” (Matt. 23:37)! The picture of distressed chicks finding shelter and warmth under the hen’s wings is what God wanted so often, but the Jews “were not willing!” If Israel had listened to the Scriptures they would have known what was found under His wings.
There is loving kindness found under His wings. David said, “How precious is Your loving kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings” (Psalm 36:7). There is no doubt about the fact that His loving kindness is infinite. There is no doubt where it is found—under His wings. The tragedy is that though He longed to give it, they “were not willing!” There is a place of refuge under His wings. The heading of Psalm 57 shows that it was written when David was hiding in a cave in order to escape from the armies of angry King Saul. His prayer begins, “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by” (Psalm 57:1). Put yourself in David’s place and sense his dire circumstances. Instead of being distressed, he saw His only hope was to hide himself under the wings of God and find refuge “until these calamites have passed by.” This same place of refuge was so often available for Israel but they “were not willing!”
There is joy found under His wing. “Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice” (Psalm 63:7). It makes no difference what happens outside His wings, those there can rejoice because of the help found there. The joy was available for Israel, but they “were not willing!”
There is a place for YOU under His wings. God’s nature has not changed. What He offered Israel He offers to you—and even more! He so often offers the shelter under His wings. Hear His invitation and find His loving kindness, His refuge and His joy. Make sure YOU are willing!