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Under His Wings Meditation upon the Jesus Himself drew near "You, Lord, are intimately acquainted with every part of my life and thoughts, past, future, present, though such a realisation staggers the natural mind. This paraphrase of Psalm 139 surely expresses the wonder of the dealings of the Lord and His care for each one of His people. It is an intimate confession of the surprise and the awe brought to us by the Truth when we are let into Divine secrets, and when we are thus confronted with the mystery, Why? Why, Lord, are you interested–in this worthless lump of clay? Who am I Lord? And who are these Thy people? What claims have we upon Divine love? And yet, we are here only because You made us, Lord. We are what we are because that is how You made us. And we are in Your presence, because that is where You had in mind for us to be. No other thing matters in my life so much as knowing Your nearness, and my daily practising of Your presence. Every second may I know it, that the present, this knife‑edge moment on which I am ever poised, belongs to You, Lord. The present belongs to You, Nothing else, neither things present, nor things yet to be, has meaning greater than that love with which You surround me now. This blessed theme takes back our minds to the dawn of time, so far as time began to be known on this earth. Genesis 1:1,2 "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." His Spirit "moved" or "brooded" upon the mighty deep. The word is used to describe the continual brooding—as of a bird—over its young. Deuteronomy 32:11,12 uses the same word "As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: so the LORD…." The Spirit of God fluttered or brooded upon the face of the waters. Everywhere the impenetrable mists that surrounded this planet in thick darkness swirled over the face of the waters that completely covered the earth. And that Spirit of God breathed upon all, fluttering over the scene of empty lifeless waste, intent upon its wise and wonderful purpose. Such language forms the introduction to us of the ‘oracles of God’ concerning this purpose‑built stage for His most wondrous designs. And the choice of such words so aptly conveys the sense of patient purposeful influence of a great power—completely in charge. How many ages passed we cannot tell—How many spells of calm dark silence—How many storms that caused the waves to rise in relentless searching for a non‑existent shore. But we know that, whatever activity there was, whatever age‑to‑age progression and gradual development of earth and mountains and eventual forms of life, right up to the appearance of man, it was the work of the Spirit, brooding over all. Nor did its mission cease when that first breath, that same Spirit of God, was breathing into the nostrils of Adam, and he opened his eyes in Paradise at Eden, the garden of the Lord. The great ultimate purpose of the Lord was yet to be achieved. Even now, at this hour, it has yet to reach its full maturity, and near a thousand years awaits that hour, that wonderful moment, when the long creative program is complete. The Spirit of God continues still to brood over all, intent upon its mission to bring forth the New Heavens and New Earth that is to be the perpetual home of righteousness. That Spirit is relentless in its purpose, persistent in its design, unalterable, consistent in its pursuit, and nothing can thwart the outcome of its work. Nor is this some blind, unintelligent force originating within the elements of a material universe. It is the reaching forth of the unmeasurable power of a great intelligent Creator, Whose wisdom is everywhere on display. It is a loving influence, directed by a great and wonderful Mind, patiently and persistently brooding over all. God is working His purpose out; working with inanimate objects, the dust of the earth, the waters of the great deep, and working too with living creatures. With that breath, that same Spirit, He imparts life. By His Spirit He shares His Own great power, shares His thoughts, His plans, the things precious to His Great heart of love, shares in a wonderful growing relationship with those He is shaping into His own likeness. Over the ages past holy men were moved by that Spirit. The acceptable offering of Abel, the close walk of Enoch, the work of Noah. In a strange and awing way the Spirit continued to brood over all, even when the earth became filled with violence and the heart of man, the prince of this earth, became only evil continually. "And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man..." (Genesis 6:3) Once more the waters flooded this earth bearing up the ark into a new earth—a prophecy of the ultimate permanent cleansing away of all evil from the hearts of all men everywhere. The same Spirit moved the lips of prophets to speak of that day. Indeed, all the oracles of God, all holy Scripture, was God‑breathed. At last, in the fulness of time, came the angel’s message to a young maiden, whose name was Mary. "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35) Following the bringing forth of the Head, came the development and emergence of Body members, all under that same blessed influence. The Holy Spirit was to come upon us. The power of the Highest commenced its most wonderful work of the ages. The wondrous mission of Eliezer was to bring everlasting delight to the heart of the One Who sent it forth. This, dear brethren, is the background of our subject now. "Under His Wings." The Scriptures are, we know, full of the language of the Lord’s protective care, His directing of His Spirit’s power to work mightily within His people, until its work complete, we are presented "faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." (Jude 24) "Exceeding joy..."? Brethren, that has to be the understatement of all time! Peter describes it as "joy unspeakable and full of glory." (1 Pet.1:8) Part of the preciousness of the Christian fellowship has been the ability of various ones to share something of the burdens, the heartaches, the trials and the tests they have been called to bear. How false would be the assumption that the Mighty Wings of the Lord were to protect His people from all such tribulations. Rather do we not share a common testimony to the truth of the language of those words we mentioned in Deut.32:11‑12 "As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: so the LORD..." The stirring of the nest. We all know what that is about. Sure, the parent bird has wings capable of protecting its young from all harm, but the Lord has also granted us the blessing of wings of our own. It is, we know, the stirring of the nest that encourages the development and exercise of the wings of faith. Stirring of the nest may not be a too comfortable experience, and we may even at times wonder why the Lord is doing this to us. Dear Job certainly had a problem there. So far as he could see he had done nothing to deserve what came upon him. According to Ezekiel (14:14,20), Job was one of the most godly men who had ever lived. When troubles came, they came thick and fast. And for a while he was left dazed and dubious as to the cause of his afflictions. Now few of our experiences may compare with those of Job, but the Lord gave us the record of Job’s tribulations because He is working in us too, preparing those jewel‑like characters that will ever reflect His glory. The Lord understood our need at times of severe trial—our need to glimpse something of what is going on both sides of the Veil regarding our processing. The Lord’s people enjoy many blessings and comforts. Some of these are common to man. Some are peculiar to the family of God. The principle difference is that those which are common to man tend to be transitory, while those that belong to the children of God are eternal. It is usually the times of withdrawal of blessings and comforts which become the times of trial. If the result of such trial is greater appreciation of and dependence upon the things that cannot be taken away, then the times of such withdrawal may become—times of realisation—moments of truth. Job knew what it was to be blessed of the Lord in the things of this life. Earthly prosperity, he had it! His possessions were abundant. He had a family of seven sons and three daughters. Imagine those round your table! In addition, he had 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 she‑asses, and a very great household. He also had the possession on which it is difficult to place any price—good health. He was, in fact, a very mighty man in the earth in his day. (Job 1:2,3) In Gen 46:13, a Job is listed among the sons of Issachar; but we do not know enough to identify there the Job of the book of that name. However, it seems very likely that Job is one of the most ancient writings of the Word, which may be an indication of the Lord’s awareness that all those who sought to walk with God would be helped by this account. One memorable day the storm breaks, and Job’s blessings are withdrawn. In swift succession he loses one after another of his possessions, even to his children, leaving him in deepest grief. Yet the heart of this man is revealed in his recorded words, doubtless spoken through tears. He said, "Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:21) To this day, those who seek to live near to the Lord endeavour to model their own hearts after the example of these ancient words. Not easy words to utter with tears choked back when our little world crashes around us. To acknowledge Divine right to do as He will, without criticism or trace of resentment; what a high standard is there, set before us. "I will not murmur nor repine at whatever the Lord’s gracious providences permit." Not one murmur? No not one! Just a little one? None! Though blessings are sometimes limited in duration, blessings, nevertheless, they are, precious gifts many of them, and all of the Lord. He manifests grace in the giving, and complete right and wisdom in the withdrawing of such benefactions. Human inability to immediately trace the mind of the Lord in His actions is not allowed to waver that determined faith which trusts Him come what may. There are gaps in our understanding, many of them, and some of them quite enormous, but the blessed glimpses of truth He has imparted in between those gaps enable faith to take its hold on the solid ground of revelation, faith that can bridge the gaps in our understanding, trust where it cannot trace. Satan had declared that Job’s allegiance to the Lord hung upon the many blessings he had been surrounded with—a kind of cupboard‑love. Take all those material things away, and Job’s enthusiasm would rapidly evaporate. The Lord’s faith in Job here shines out, as well as Job’s faith in His God. Together, the faith of God and that of Job, was to prove Satan wrong. Can we also prove Satan wrong? If it were possible to actually count the many material blessings and comforts in our life, and did we overhear that same conversation between Satan and the Lord, only this time the discussion centring round one self, would the Lord have that same confidence in me that He had in Job, to allow my faith to prove the Adversary wrong? We know too what Satan regarded as the ultimate test of that faith. However precious those possessions, even family and loved ones, what if the blessing withdrawn touched Job’s flesh itself! What if the same test applied to me? How many dear brethren have risen to this test triumphantly! How many witnesses under every kind of test to the power of divine love overflowing into human hearts, triumphing over affliction. Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. May we never lose our sense of triumph in Christ Who enables us. How manifestly did this grace abound in Our Saviour and Head, Jesus. How wonderfully does His loving devotion and trust shine out to us through the shadows of Gethsemane, and the darkness of Golgotha. Hanging there upon that cross, the heavens black above Him, the hatred of the power of darkness all around Him... Did He have even one faint ray, one weak strand of visible evidence of Divine love and care in His sad plight? And has He said to me, deny yourself, negate every natural instinct for self‑preservation, take up this instrument of torture, this cross, and follow Me? Have I watched Him from beneath the shadow of that cross, and did He there inspire in me that fulness of grateful love that could only respond... Jesus, I my cross have taken, So what does it all mean, this Truth, this message of Truth from the Lord that has reached our ears? The words translated "truth" in Scripture speak of that which is certain, that which is genuine, the underlying reality which underlies our life. In the Old Testament Truth is linked with the word ‘Amen.’ Jesus used this same word carried over into the Greek whenever He said, "Verily, verily." He also said, "I am the Truth." Every promise of God—Yea and Amen in Jesus. Each word of Holy Scripture, every precious promise of the Word, all the illustrations of the Bible through which gleam the revelations of the wondrous Divine purpose, each and every one is God‑breathed. All are part of the wonderful manifestation of that reality, that central truth that underlies the whole progression of each age of the Plan, and orders and guides the steps of the faithful. That same Spirit of God that brooded first over the waters of creation has never ceased in its activity, and this moment broods still over the work of completion of the New creation. Day by day it is drawing each of his people closer, ever closer, to his Lord. The Spirit sent forth of God, brooding now, over you and over me, the Breath of God that betokens His immediate presence, this is the certain, unchanging, and central Truth in our lives. All else is peripheral to this reality The God Who during those great epochs of creation commanded the Light to shine out of darkness has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. It is the illumination of His Holy Spirit that has lit up our hearts. It is the power of that Spirit that works mightily and unceasingly within. It is the work of that Spirit directing our minds that identifies the Body members with the Head of the Christ, for of His anointing have we all received. DJH |
