We have somewhat of a beautiful deviation in nature to contend with up north: a very heavy, spring snowfall; everything -- including colorful spring flowers that have already ventured out -- are now completely covered in a blanket of fresh snow. The boughs of the pine trees surrounding our home all seem to have folded their hands, almost as if in reverence for this beautiful sight (if one doesn't have to get out in it, it really is pretty remarkable to look out on). Not the only place in North America that's experiencing this winter weather phenomenon, most of the upper midwest is seeing heavy snowfall, as well.
With that as a backdrop, my thoughts went immediately to one of our devotional readings this week that focused on God being like an abiding shelter and a strong tower for us, especially when we may feel overwhelmed. David the Psalmist referred to God with such terms of endearment in Psalm 61, vs. 2-4, especially at the end of vs. 4 where David affirms that he will "trust in God and make his refuge under the covert of His wings." Venture even further back in the Bible to around 1451-BC, the time of Moses writing of the book of Deuteronomy. In Chap. 32:11, Moses writes of God's loving protection by comparing him to "an eagle that stirs up her nest, flutters over her young, and spreads abroad her wings" to protect them.
I'm not sure if you've been following this, but there is no small amount of comotion over a pair of nesting eagles in Decorah, Iowa; they've hatched three young eaglets which may be seen 24/7 via a special video camera that was rigged atop their nest 80' high in a massive tree (the nest alone is estimated to weigh 3,000lbs). Wondering how they were faring in this incredible weather, I logged into the website today to check on them via the live webcam (just 'Google' "Decorah Eagles" and click on the live video link); I was amazed and humbled by what I saw.
The snow was coming down heavily, and the eagle's nest was completely covered; so was the mother eagle. But, there she was, 'fluttering her nest' to pull soft nesting material up around her young to keep them warm, while she had her wings stretched out over them to keep the heavy snow from her babies. The winds were gusting anywhere from 35-45mph, so one can imagine what affect the wind was having at the elevation of the nest. But the eagle, there in 'the abiding shelter of her strong tower', was covering her young with her wings to protect them from the storm. What a perfectly powerful picture of God's love in action, for that is exactly as our Biblical writers described what I was able to witness today through the lens of that camera.
I suppose late spring snows may seem like an inconvenience for some, but for me and our family, it reminds us of the freshness and beauty of God's marvelous creation, as well as the tenderness of His love and protection. Here's hoping we may all experience something of the brightness and wonder of that love this Easter.