Wednesday Bible Blurb “Sheep down” 12 4 2024
It was a slow and calm Sunday afternoon as I sat in my office an read my Bible. Later in the day I walked down to check on my little flock of sheep and put them into the barn for the night. Predators are known to prowl at night and keeping my sheep safe is a high priority. As I wandered down to the little field, I noticed one of the sheep standing far off and not moving. As I approached her, I began to see the blood dripping off her face and neck. Somehow a large dog had gotten through two fences and started to tear poor Olive sheep into pieces. Her eye socket was torn, her ear was ripped and hanging, bite wounds covered her neck, back and sides. For a shepherd, this is one of the most traumatic moments of raising sheep.
I yelled out to my family, “Sheep down” which let them know there was trouble in the pasture. Immediately we sprang into action and began to help Olive with her very severe wounds. We loaded Olive and her twin sister Manna into the old stock trailer and headed for the on-call night veterinarian where Olive underwent emergency surgery under the watchful eyes of her sister Manna. Being twins, the sheep would not leave each other. Manna loaded herself into the trailer and followed Olive into the veterinarian’s office where Olive was completely sedated stitched up. Poor Manna, as Olive lay there not moving, Manna would paw at her and try to wake her. While the vet worked on Olive, Manna stood there with obvious anxiety watching his every move. Manna was not only a good sister but a good watchman for Olive.
As a shepherd, I felt horrible that day. I had let my flock down; I was not a very good watchman, and my Olive sheep suffered for it. Jesus is our Shepherd and He is always awake and watching out for us. As a human shepherd I am not able to constantly watch over my sheep. God sent the prophet Ezekiel to be a watchman over the house of Israel, to warn and to let them know when trouble was going to strike. It is up to everyone to listen to the “watchman”. (Ezek. 3:16-19). It is up to us to be aware of what God has to say to us and to obey His words to receive His protection from this world.
Solomon said, “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” (Psalm 127:1 [NKJV]). We must and can only rely on Jesus to be our watchman and to protect us from the evils of this world. Again, in Ezekiel 33:1-7 we see God warning Israel (and us) to listen for the watchman or our destruction is on us. Our blood would be on our own hands.
On that Sunday afternoon I was a poor watchman, unable to blow the horn, to shout the warning to my sheep of an impending disaster. God tells us, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36).
Do not be afraid! Listen to the words spoken by God to Ezekiel, “…therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken.” (Ezek. 34:22-24). Never fear little flock, God is watching over us.
Postscript: Olive is today alive and well. She underwent four trips to see the veterinarian and amazingly lived through her dog attack. God is good.
