“How precious is Your loving devotion, O God, that the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings!” ( Psalm 36:7)

Since God isn’t like anyone or anything else in the universe the writers of the Bible used many different analogies to explain His amazing attributes. In this Psalm, King David praises God for His mercy, faithfulness, righteousness, and justice ( see 36:5-6). The tender care God gives each of us is precious to King David. He seems carried away by the greatness and goodness of the Infinite God. It seems to him that God is like an eagle protecting its eaglets under its enormous wings in the nest.

Bad things happen to all of us. Some Christian believe that God should protect them from any trouble, and they are devastated when they experience even relatively mild difficulties. Like a mighty eagle, God is dedicated to the growth and strength of His eaglets and He uses our difficulties to help us grow stronger. In fact, struggles are stepping stones of growth, so God wouldn’t be a loving parent if He protected us from all problems.

But consider the many difficulties we don’t experience. Every minute of every day, God protects us from all kinds of pains, from attacks by the enemy of our souls to “accidents” that we barely escape. Most of us enjoy prosperity, pleasure, and health far beyond anything known in earlier generations.

We live “under the shadow” of God’s mighty wings, and He protects us with His love and power, but sometimes He nudges us out of the nest so we can learn to fly.