On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches.

Devotion based on Ezekiel 17:23

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

After a long and harsh winter in Green Bay, WI, Lucas was tired of the gray sky and snow. He searched for signs that spring was coming. Sure enough, the snow finally began to melt. He felt the warmth of the sun on his neck. He started to see robins hopping along the greening grass of his lawn.

Then, it happened.

Late one March night, the temperature plummeted. Lucas woke up, looked out his window, and saw the sight of a couple inches of white snow. He saw something begin to move in a tree close to his window. There were the robins huddled between the branches of the evergreen, sheltering them from winter’s final cold blast.

Can you picture yourself as that little shivering robin in a great big world? Some days feel like spring sunshine—days when your family is getting along, days at the beach or in the forest, days of rest and wonder. But because of sin—your sin and the sin of the people around you—too often, this world feels like a wintry blast, and you feel small and feeble. Shivering. Cold. On your own. Unable to protect yourself from the blasts of the world, the devil, or from yourself and the bad you know you do.

That’s why today’s Bible passage is so comforting. God shows us that we do not have to weather the storm of this world on our own. Yes, we are weak like the little bird. But we have a solid and sure tree of shelter. The tree of shelter was promised to us in the Garden of Eden when God promised to rescue Adam and Eve and us from our sins. He sent that rescue when Jesus came to earth to live and die for us. The door to our shelter was opened when the tomb of a living Jesus was opened. When we find our shelter in Jesus, the storms of this world cannot harm us.

One day, the cold blast of this broken world will end. Until then, God provides us the perfect shelter in Jesus. Rest in him, and you are safe. The winter of this world will end, and we will awaken to the glorious spring that awaits us in heaven!

Dear Jesus, thank you for being the perfect shelter for us. May we rest in you. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above