THE CHILDREN'S PROTECTION

Of the birds that Jesus spoke about, the domestic cock and hen have a special interest because of their protective instincts. At the time of the apostle Peter's denial of the Lord the first cockcrow was in the nature of a warning of danger. Children who live in the country will perhaps know how a night alert of this kind is taken up and answered to by cocks at quite distant roosts. Thus in our own histories we may be given warnings of moral danger which we should heed. The second cockcrow, after about an hour, was no doubt the morning call and this brought the beloved apostle to repentance. Just ponder for a moment the fact that the Lord, whilst about to endure the sufferings of making "by himself the purification of sins", ordered in detail the crowing of the cock for the safety of His disciple! It was a new day for Peter, through grace.

The protective ways of the hen are more intense, while the cock gives his warnings widely. The wings of the hen are of little use for fluttering about but they are a perfect means of safety for her little chickens. Even a large brood may there find protection and even comfort in the presence of danger. You would very rarely find a chick that would not come and snuggle down at the alarm call. Jesus as Messiah, the promised protector of the Jewish nation, would have gathered together the people of Jerusalem as safely as a mother hen would her chickens, but they refused. The people who enjoyed the benefit of His self-sacrificing love mostly came with Him from Galilee into the city. Of Ruth, who was like a young Christian believer, it was said that she had come to take refuge under the wings of the God of' Israel.

In a quite different connection Paul wrote to young believers at Thessalonica about being protected with armour – moral of course! This was more to preserve them from being discouraged in the Christian path rather than for actual conflicts. As in the love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13 which all children should learn by heart, the apostle wrote to them of faith, hope and love. Faith and love are especially a breastplate protecting our hearts and the hope of salvation is a helmet protecting our minds. Salvation from judgment is for us now and for ever but the living hope of being kept in safety will prevent our being discouraged. Do you know the God of hope?

J.C.Evershed