READ: PSALM 36:7; MATTHEW 6:25-34; 23:37

Life can be so hard sometimes. Maybe you’re facing a challenging situation at school, or your parents are getting a divorce, or you got a scary medical diagnosis.

In our world that’s broken by sin, we can quickly get discouraged because of all the messed-up stuff we face. But the good news is, as Christians, we have hope: Whatever we’re facing, Jesus is always with us. Nothing can separate us from His love. Nothing can get in the way of Him accomplishing His good purposes. Nothing can shake His promise to be present with us and to make all things new one day (Matthew 28:20; Romans 8; Revelation 21:1-5).

In short, we can take comfort in the fact that God loves us, and He cares for us like a mother bird cares for her chicks. Now, comparing God to a mother bird may seem odd when we think about how awesome and infinitely powerful God is, but in the Bible He really does compare Himself to a mother bird—more than once.

Throughout the Psalms, God invites us to take refuge in the shadow of His wings.* And when Jesus was approaching His death, He said that He longs to gather us like a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings (Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34-33).

The reason we can draw near to God and dwell with Him is because of what Jesus has done. Our sin separated us from God, but God loves us so much that He came to live among us. Because He died and rose from the grave for us, paying the price for our sins, we can be in restored relationship with Him.

Therefore, as Christians we can take refuge in the shadow of God’s wings, bringing Him our worries about whatever we’re experiencing and resting in His promise to use everything for His good purposes—even the things that don’t go the way we hoped they would. We can trust Him to take care of us, including guiding us in reaching out to trusted people around us for support. Like a mother bird cares for her chicks, God will provide everything we need. • A. W. Smith

• Why do you think God compares Himself to a mother bird in the Bible? What do you like or dislike about this mental picture? (*Psalms 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; 61:4; 63:7; 91:4)

• What kinds of hard things have you been facing lately? Consider taking a moment to talk with Jesus about these things.

How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 36:7 (NIV)