Today’s scripture: Matthew 23:37-39 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Penny Dean):
“Come here and let Aunt Midge give you a great big bear hug!” she would bellow every time I went to her house. Regardless of how much time had passed since my last visit, my aunt would greet me the same way. And it wasn’t just me. Aunt Midge had no children of her own, so all kids were up for grabs. As I said at her funeral, she was everyone’s favorite aunt.
Although Aunt Midge was my mom’s elder sister, they didn’t resemble each other much. My mom is petite and thin whereas Midge was big-boned and cushy. I suppose that’s why these verses remind me of my aunt. She would gather children up like a hen gathering her chicks. In her lap, we were warm and safe and she would have fought to the death for us.
That’s how Jesus felt about Jerusalem. He wanted to enfold the citizenry into his arms and protect them, but they wouldn’t have it. Rather, they had a history of killing prophets and messengers. Four chapters later in Matthew, they killed Jesus, too. There on the cross, he spread out his wings, so to speak, making himself vulnerable, reaching out one last time, and died.
Jesus chose this common image of a mother hen, I think, because it is a symbol with which we can all identify. Even if you’re not a farm girl, you can imagine a mother hen clucking over her brood, gathering them to her, and scolding those who got too close to her darlings. The image is one of warmth and security and love.
But, like Jerusalem, we can choose to ignore such an embrace. We can choose to be the rugged individualist, the lone wolf, the desperado making it through life alone. We can even choose to butcher the hen and have her for dinner. What a lonely, cold, hard life that would be without God or comfort or safety.
I speak from experience. I let go of God in my twenties, but God’s arms were open the whole time I was gone. When I finally came limping back, God gave me a great big bear hug and swept me under those wings. I may peep out occasionally, but I don’t stray far.
Thought for the day: In what ways are you turning from God? What would happen if you let God help you?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.