I'm too much like these peachicks

"...how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" Luke 13:34b

Ever since the peachicks have been spotted in our back garden, and another set spotted on a day out, I have been thinking about this verse. I tend to read Jesus' lament to Jerusalem about their unwillingness to be protected and think "why won't you listen?" It is easy to be frustrated with unbelieving family members and friends thinking how much better their life would be with Jesus and why can't they see it.

But reality is, often, I don't see it either. Take for example, this picture:

You can't tell it in the picture but it is pouring down rain. I mean really pouring it down. In fact, the only reason we were sitting by this window in order to get this picture was we were waiting out the rain to run to our car. Under the mama peahen are five other chicks. Five chicks dutifully staying under mama's protective wings and staying dry. Then there are these two. Who knows what they are thinking. But there they are, out in the storm. Jewel kept telling them to get under the mama. She couldn't understand why they would want to get wet (especially since she hates it). We were laughing at her and at the chicks. But, maybe, it was no laughing matter. Does peachick behavior mirror my own? More than I want to admit. How often do I complain in my prayers that there is a storm and God is letting me get wet? How often is His answer, "then get under my wings." Who knows what I'm thinking when I choose to stay in the storm rather than allow Him to protect me, but it happens much too often.

Or, how about this (revisited) picture:

Mama peahen has spotted my rambunctious children. She perceives a threat and she gathers up the 5 chicks. But this one is just so curious it has to poke its head out and see. Thankfully there was a glass window between the "threat" and the chicks and it was indeed safe. But I know that I'm often the same way. Satan is prowling and temptation is abounding. Jesus sees the very real threat and gathers His children under His wings. The message is clear: don't pay any attention to the threat, stay safe with Me. Don't look at that program or movie or book. Don't listen to that garbage. Don't drink that or eat that which is not wholesome. Stay under His wings and be protected. But we get curious. Just looking won't hurt. I'm staying close to Jesus so I'll be safe. And we peek. And sometimes we get ensnared because we take ourselves out from under the protective wings of Jesus.

Sometimes we are not willing. And sometimes Jesus weeps because of it.

I can't get these images illustrating that verse out of my head. I want to be like the wise chicks that are snuggled up under their mama safe from the storm and from any threat.

Father God forgive me when I am not willing to be protected by you. Forgive me when I disobey and play in the storm after you have called me to safety. Forgive me when I don't trust you enough to believe that there is a threat and I peek out, or edge toward the threat. Thank you for your grace to accept me back even when I flirt with temptation and fall into sin. Thank you for your forgiveness at my confession of that sin. Thank you for using those times to teach me to trust you more. In Jesus protective name I pray...Amen!