Oh That I Had Wings Like a Dove

Tuesday morning, I read this scripture, Psalm 55:6 “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.”
That reading about a dove prompted me to hasten out my back door to check on the Mama Dove, who had nested above my fireplace vent. The last I checked on her, she had two eggs in that nest. The fulfillment of her preparations, waiting and anticipating, was realized. There were two little hungry baby birds with her. Pure sweetness. I know my time is limited on keeping a watchful eye on that little dove family. Before long she’ll be teaching them about those “wings of a dove” and they will fly away.

Sometimes we echo the words of that verse, don’t we? Just to be able to fly away from our concerns and responsibilities of daily living. Just to be able to move on to a new nest or a new place that’s care-free.

That Mama Dove has taught me so many lessons. A couple of weeks ago, my post was about that dove and her patience and her, seemingly, undisturbed manner of staying and nesting while my family and I were heads down in viciously power washing my porches, barbequing our Mother’s Day meal and carrying on like like a wrecking crew. Yet, Mama Dove seemed to watch us as I’m sure that God, from His 30K+ foot view looks at us, with all our hustle and bustle and in a flurry of activity to get this and that done! She was vigilantly watching all that raucous from her safe and isolated “perch”.

Here’s what a google search says about a dove: “The dove represents peace of the deepest kind. It soothes and quiets our worried or troubled thoughts. The dove's roles as spirit messenger, maternal symbol and liaison impart an inner peace that helps us to go about our lives calmly and with purpose.” That explanation clearly goes along with the words in Isaiah 26:3 “Him I will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon Me.” No question that dove seemed to be in that perfect peace.

These times of so much to be concerned about is really no different than what Jesus and His disciples faced. Jesus cautioned His disciples, men who were just heading out to spread good news to the world, that they were doing dangerous work. He said, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and HARMLESS AS DOVES. (Matthew 10:16)

To be wise like a serpent means to have keen discernment, and a capacity for sound judgment in dealing with people, situations AND the enemy of our souls. To discern means to detect with the eyes and with senses other than vision. It also means to read character or motives. Somehow I think that Mama Bird had that discernment. She heard my soft voice each morning and she knew I (and my family) meant her no harm.

That sweet Mama Dove is a bird of peace. A dove’s temperament is calm and its disposition is sweet. Doves really are harmless. Wise and Harmless. Yes, in this life, we will run into some times of anxiety and concern and we sure would like to “take wing like the dove” and fly away to escape it all. But, God is all about giving us the tools to make it in a crazy world like the one we live in. Those words about being wise as serpents and harmless as doves seem like wisdom for peace and success. Wise to detect and avoid danger, while living in sweet peace, gentleness, kindness and innocence. Be wise and harmless—always. Just like that Mama Dove, watching over her babies, Psalm 121:8 says “The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” Whether we fly away from it all or we stay put, what blessed assurance it is that our Father sees and knows what's up ahead. Come on, my friends. Let's settle on our perch and know the peace of a dove that comes from our Father above!