As A Hen Gathers Her Chicks

3. IT IS A SELF-SACRIFICING LOVE!

One type of bird that I find amazing is our country’s symbol, the Bald Eagle. The female eagle builds her nests very high away from predators and takes great care of her young. Each night she covers the little birds to keep them warm away from the cold wind. Each day, though, she goes out to search for food. Since eagles are predators, that means she must find fresh meat for them each day. She goes out looking for nourishment for them and she might bring back a fish, a rabbit, or whatever meat she can find. This usually is not a hard task for they are excellent hunters. At times, though, when game is scarce she has to struggle to find enough food to keep them alive. I read something that is interesting about eagles. If this mother eagle cannot find enough food for them, she will actually tear out pieces of her own flesh to feed them. There she sits bleeding and suffering so that her little ones can live. Can you imagine a love so deep that one would sacrifice their own flesh in order to give life to another?

Well, this is exactly what Christ did for us.

I Peter 3:18 “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit....”

4. IT IS A SORROWFUL LOVE!

Killdeer birds- The mother killdeer will draw you away from the nest pretending to be injured. Once, while cutting grass, I couldn’t see the nest until I was on top of it. The killdeer went back and forth all day crying out a desperate sound over the destruction of her nest and eggs.

Many’s the mother who has struggled and sacrificed and suffered in raising her children. She has loved her little one deeply and has had so many hopes and dreams for her child. Often, even though she has done her very best, that child goes down the wrong path and it absolutely breaks her heart. For some it may be a child that turns to drugs or alcohol and destroys their life. For others it may be a child whose life is forever altered by improper sexual relationships.

When being disciplined or receiving instruction many youth only see the parents saying “NO”. They complain about their parents and say things like “All they do is nag me”, “My parents just don’t understand”, or “they’re so square.” They don’t ever really understand that the reason they say the things they do to them is because they love them. It is only when you’re older and have children that you really understand your own parents.

I know of many Moms and Dads that have spent many days in anguish and spent nights weeping over the bad mistakes their children have made and many parents have literally died of a broken heart for their children.

** At the funeral home you can hear them pleading..... Son, why didn’t you listen to me.....

**As the AIDS test result comes in for their daughter.. A Desperate, pleading voice.....

This is the passion we see in Jesus as He looks out over the city of Jerusalem.