Under the Lord's Wing

“He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler” – Psalms 91:4.
A mother bird will shield its babies with her wings when it rains, keeping them warm, dry, and safe. To be under the Lord’s wing, covered by His feathers, is to be under His protection and in His presence. Life has many challenges and curveballs, but through it all, are you positioned correctly? To be out of position and out of the refuge of the Lord is to be separated from Him. A predator cannot strike the babies if the mother is protecting them. Satan is always looking for times we are distant from God that he may devour us. He knows very well that if he were to attack while we are under our Father’s protection, he would be unsuccessful. But what if we were alone, clueless, and ignorant of the impending threat? David was there once.
“It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.” – 2 Samuel 11:1.
This verse is the beginning of chapter 11 of 2 Samuel, which describes David’s sin of adultery and murder. However, his mistake that drew him out from the Lord’s refuge can be seen in this one verse. Notice that it says, “At the time when kings go out to battle,” and “But David remained at Jerusalem.” David, the king of Israel, should have been out with his men fighting, but rather he was dwelling in his palace. David was out of position, away from where God meant for him to be. This is where Satan attacked David through distractions and temptations.
“Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house.” – 2 Samuel 11:2-4.
Unfortunately, David fell right into the trap, and no one was there to shield him because he had drifted away from the Father’s refuge. If David had been on the battlefield with his men, this would have been avoided. Let this sink in for a minute and ask yourself some questions. Are you positioned where God desires you to be? Whether He desires you to be resting or out on the battlefield for His Kingdom, are you correctly positioned under the shadow of His wing? This is important to check because if not, it will lead you to disobedience and the traps of the devil. Perhaps this has or is happening to you. So, what do you do? Run back to the Father. God came looking for David even after his big mess up, which was more than just adultery, but also the murder of Uriah in the process of David trying to cover up his own sin. A prophet, Nathan, came to David with a parable that would bring to light David’s sin. (2 Samuel 12:1-15). Now, God reveals things for the purpose of redemption.
“But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.” – Ephesians 5:13.
God wanted to expose this darkness with light, for light overtakes the darkness. Like a man wounded with an arrow, the wound cannot heal without the arrow first being removed and exposing the open wound. David, a man after God’s own heart, repented and turned from those evil ways, running back to God. That is how we are to be. We will all slip up as no one is perfect, but are you going to get back up and find the one who loves you and wants to provide you with refuge? It has never been about how you fall; it has always been about how you get back up. Do you rise seeking the Father’s help, or do you rise just to stumble right back again into your own mess?
“For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity.” – Proverbs 24:16.
So overall, be vigilant of where you are positioned, ensuring that you are always in the refuge of the Lord. Don’t let the distractions and the bait that Satan throws at you entice you to step out of the Lord’s wings, but rather, dwell in the Lord’s presence and refuge at peace with Him in all situations and through all the curveballs life throws at you.