We’ve always had chickens. Ana says they remind her of her home in Puerto Rico. She loves those birds. I like them too, but I also think they’re dumb! You build them a nice coop and they sleep outside. You try to gather them in at night and they run away. You’re just trying to keep them safe, but they squawk like they were being murdered.
We’re a lot like chickens sometimes. God tells us to do this or don’t do that, because He loves us and wants the best for us, but we act like He’s persecuting us. He’s looking out for us, but we act like He’s trying to take away our freedom.
This must be incredibly frustrating to God. He loves us so much and longs to bless us with a long life here and an eternity with Him in Heaven. It must make Him shake His head how we choose so easily to give all that up to chase after the temporary things of earth.
You can hear God’s bewilderment in Jesus’ words, as he stood looking over Jerusalem shortly before his crucifixion. With longing in his voice, Jesus cried out, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” (Luke 13:34 NIV).
God wants so much more for us than the silly things we settle for. He still longs to gather you and I in “as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.” He wants to keep us safe, to protect and guide us.
Don’t be a chicken! Don’t run away when He calls. Let’s not exchange an eternity with Jesus for a few moments of guilty pleasure and “freedom” here. It’s just not worth it. Soon Jesus will gather His flock safely home. Choose right now to be ready when He calls.