Staying near the Good Shepherd

                                                 By Carol Emerson Hill (San Jose)

Often when I do my bible study, I sit in our guest room at my small wooden desk and look out over our yard and water features. Everywhere I look I see birds; sparrows, doves, vireos, chickadees, finches, towhees, hummingbirds and of course our four chickens, Dixie Chick, Gladys Night, Diana and Cleo. They’re our pets and we get to be like a shepherd to them.

Recently, I noticed a newbie prowling around in our backyard. This intruder wasn't a welcomed visitor, but rather a predator.

One day, I heard our chickens cackling and went to investigate the commotion.   All evidence told me that something was lurking. (One sure sign of a predator is the total absence of wild birds).    At first look, nothing appeared, so I decided to be visible and hang laundry on our clothesline.    Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spied, silently hiding under our pomegranate bush, a big gray cat with orange eyes whose tail whipped back and forth, back and forth.   Honestly, it was so well camouflaged, I would never have seen it if I hadn’t been over in that area. I clapped my hands and got the hose.  Then I hurried the cat over the fence and off our property, being aware that it would likely return.

Predators are all around. In fact, recently my husband heard a commotion in our daisy bush.  Thinking he was going to find one of our chickens, he was shocked to discover a really big chicken hawk caught up in the branches.    Weeks before that he stopped an attack as the hawk was already targeting and had trapped Gladys Night. Thankfully our critters have good shepherds to spoil the plans of these predators.   We’re very alert to sounds and changes in the landscape and regularly check on them.

We know as Christians that we must stay alert and be aware that the master predator and enemy is on the watch to devour us (1 Peter 5:8). One might think that it’s all up to us to take care of ourselves, but scripture also compares us to sheep who are part of a flock who need a good shepherd.  

It's clear, in scripture and in life, the importance of staying close to the flock and remaining under the watchful eye of the Caretaker, otherwise we’re vulnerable.    In Psalm 23 we see that "the Lord is our Shepherd” and He watches over us and keeps us safe and well fed.

With the times as they are, it’s more important than ever to remain in close contact with our wonderful Shepherd through bible study, prayer and connection with the flock. Satan or the Predator tends to prey on those that wander off by themselves, away from the watchful eye of the Caretaker.  

“We must also consider how to encourage each other to show love and to do good things. 25 We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming” (Hebrews 10:24-25, – GW).