Covered With His Feathers

My Owen is a sensitive boy. He cowers on sighting the flamingoes at the zoo.  If I peel an orange, he ducks his head and covers his nose.   He won't eat anything with bright color (be it a red tomato or rainbow sherbet).  He turns wrong-side out until I cut a tag from the neck of his shirt.  It can be frustrating to tiptoe amongst his growing list of needs and the temptation is oh-so-strong to push him to overcome these seemingly irrational fears. 

As a baby, Owen was terrified to exist in any arms but mine.  Even when Brian would cuddle and soothe, he would arch his back and reach for me with his arms and legs while crying hysterically.   My arms brought him comfort and peace, long after I thought he should be content to play at my feet.  So vacuuming with one arm and baking with him on my lap at the dining room table became part of the routine of  life.  I purposed to wait patiently (most of the time), believing that while he may always be shy, he would not be trapped in his fears forever.

I cringe to think how my actions mirror Owen...and on a more serious scale.  I know “God did not give us a spirit of timidity” but I have fears that have no basis in truth.    I sometimes stick to myself because I am afraid to go out of my way to show someone God’s love.  I stick to what I know because the way God is showing me would draw me out of my familiar box.

By His grace, God has chosen to be patient with me, too. Psalm 91:4-5 paints a gloriously comforting picture:

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day.

He doesn’t leave me to fend for myself or even push me to overcome my fears, but he protects me and shields me. I can feel the warmth of His wing as He hides me and soothes my fears away.  Knowing He is with me, I can confidently say, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me!” (Psalm 23: 4)  But I, too, often need time to put my fears aside and stand confident knowing my Guardian won’t place me in harm’s way. He is patient.  He is long-suffering. 

And while I'm resting in HIS wings, I’m going to wrap Owen in a loving cocoon of protection as my Father holds me.

This idea, which I originally published here, has been re-worked and updated.