The Heart On The Back:

After being away from the marsh for a few days, the first thing I would see on my return was a white dove. Little did I know that it would be an interesting specimen, filled with images and symbols. One of the hardest things to do is to photograph anything that is white, if the light is not right. So I was in no hurry to take the dove’s photo. The next few times I visited, I would see it cross my path repeatedly, but I always hesitated to take its photo.
One day as I was getting ready to leave the marsh, two ladies close by said it was really a Racer Pigeon, and it had a mark on its back that looked like a heart. This is what got my attention of the dove. I was interested in the image it had on its back.
Images And Symbols Of The Dove:
As I took the photos of the dove, it started preening. It opened up its wings and spread out its tail feathers as if posing for me. When my photos were uploaded and I was going through them, I would see not one, but three images on the back of the dove. Looking at it from a Christian perspective, I couldn’t help but also notice the symbols of a dove in scripture. Its wings looked like the wings of an angel. The white feathers and the way they fanned out , looked like that of a bridal gown. These were some of the images and symbols that came to mind when looking at the back of the dove.
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. Matthew 3:16

The Images I Saw, And Symbols Of A Dove:
A heart was only partially seen on the dove’s back, but if you look at he full shape of the dove, you will also see that it’s shaped like a heart in the first and last photo.
Just below the heart and slightly to the right, I see an open book with some crumple pages.
Then on the right wing I see a partial marking, which looks like it would make a curve, and have a handle at the end of it. The first thing that came to my mind and without hesitation was a sickle.
These are all images but are also symbols, ripe with meaning in the Bible.
Looking At The Dove:
We may all look at the dove and see something different, but I see:
The dove is looking out at the darkness that is before it.
The partial heart says there is some love, but more love needs to be revealed to make the heart complete.
The beautiful white feathers all fanned out looks like a wedding garment. Jesus the Bridegroom is coming back for His Bride…the Church.
The wings represent the wings of an angel.
The sickle is for when the Lord returns and separates the good from the evil.

Scriptures On The Sickle:
Reaping the Earth’s Harvest
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. Revelation 14:14
And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” Revelation 14:15
So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. Revelation 14:16
Beautiful pictures. It is amazing the amount of symbols that you capture in these shots. Have a blessed day.
Thank you Beverly.
You are welcome.