Shelter of His Wings

He will cover you with his feathers, He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Psalm 91:4

This has been one of my favorite bible verses because of my pet lovebird, Millie. Millie was a peach faced lovebird that I got when she was only 6 weeks old and I had her for almost 11 years. She died last year in October 2007, but through those many years that we shared our lives together, she taught me many lessons. One of the lessons I learned was about her feathers. I saw her go through molting seasons, where she lost feathers and new ones grew in. That was a painful process for her. The new feathers were called "pin feathers". The reason for that is that the hard casing that wraps each new feather  lies close to the skin and it is like pins on their skin. Although Millie was getting new feathers, it was painful and God showed me that often when we are going through a growth process in life, it may be uncomfortable and maybe even painful. Can you picture having needles stuck in your neck? That is what birds have to go through to get rid of the old feathers and get ready for the new ones.

   Another thing I learned through Millie was about her feathers and how it relates to God Word. I read Psalm 91:4, and because I knew what it was like underneath Millie's wing,  I understood the concepts of being sheltered and protected underneath God's wings. As you can see by the picture above, the most protected and tender part of a bird's body is underneath their wings. This is truly a very special place! When I lifted Millie's wings, I would feel the warmth underneath the wing and the how soft were her feathers. This place was not only warm and protected but it was the area that was closest to her heart.  I think of us being covered with God's feathers and I know how very protected we are. Like the old expression,  "like water off a duck's back" it is true, because there is an oil that is waterproof and no water can penetrate that protected area. So when we are covered by the feathers of the Lord, we are well protected and sheltered from the storms of life. When I found myself in the storms of life, I would picture myself, tucked under Millie's wings in that very soft, protected and safe place knowing that God's is protecting and sheltering me. Through Millie,  I learned how much God loves me  and that no matter what circumstances I am going through, no matter how tough the journey, I can stay underneath God's mighty wings.

Question: Have you ever found refuge under the shelter of His Wings? Can you trust God's Word that He will cover and protect you, no matter what the circumstance you are facing in life?