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The Divine Adventures of a Yahweh Sisterhood: Belle
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Written by Barbara Gobbs www.barbaragobbs.com
Belle
And the LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.” Exodus 13:21 (NAS95)
I hope you have enjoyed my memoirs, as it were, from my October trip with Cheryle. I enjoyed sharing them with you. Today, I don’t want to talk about Cheryle, as much as I want to share about the third member of our journey, Belle.
Belle is Cheryle’s dog and traveling companion. She is a Sheltie and looks just like a miniature Lassie. Now many of you know me well enough to know that I am more of a cat-person than a dog-person. Therefore, I pondered over my fate, should Belle take a dislike to me. I guessed that if there was a clash between us and it came down to the dog or me, I’d be the one walking home. Well, all the worry was for naught because Belle and I became good friends.
She is actually a very good watchdog. Belle would bark if someone approached the van, always keeping a watchful eye over us. By the end of the trip, I had her riding in my lap. She is smart cookie too. That little rascal loves to bark at cows.
I learned much about Belle while on the road. Did you know that Sheltie is short for Shetland Sheep Dog? I didn’t and it wasn’t long before I learned more about Belle and her natural instincts. Along our journey, we would stop at highway rest areas for the obvious reasons as well as to walk Belle. Sometimes we’d stop there to fix a sandwich and eat lunch.
Whenever a stop was required, we’d put the leash on Belle, who waited obediently for the proper command to exit the van. She loved getting out-and-about with the girls. Not to mention, Belle attracted attention everywhere we went. It wasn’t unusual to hear, “Oh, mommy, look at the doggie!” or “Ma’am that’s a lovely dog, what bred is she?” Belle could stop people in their tracts so Cheryle could start conversations.
However, Belle had one habit that sometimes had Cheryle beside herself. Belle treated us like sheep. Yeah, that’s right - sheep. Belle liked to herd. It is an instinctive behavior found in the Sheltie bred. That slender-faced cutie would run out in front of us, circle around and keep us herded like sheep. I found it amusing where Cheryle found the behavior challenging at times. Of course, she was usually the one entangled up in the lash from all of Belle’s protective maneuvers.
Of course, Belle isn’t the first to think of us mortals as sheep. Jesus compared us with sheep often. He said we needed a shepherd, but not just any shepherd – we needed the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd. A Shepherd, who would know the voice of His sheep and they would know His.
Every time Belle switched into herd-the-sheep mode, I couldn’t help but remember the Scriptures about sheep. Furthermore, I also remembered the Exodus. In the book of Exodus, God used Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. The Lord didn’t provide Moses with a map and a timetable for the journey. He chose to lead His chosen nation Himself. He appeared as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He herded the Hebrew captives in this fashion, ensuring their direction and protection. How mighty and caring is our God!
Are you feeling a little hemmed-in today? Do you know what is causing it? Let me offer you this. Take a long look at your walk and your circumstances. Check to see if your feelings stem from something you need to clear up between you and God. If so, quit struggling right now and seek the Lord’s direction and protection. Fall on your face before a mighty God who knows your name wants to take away whatever your offense. Let Him take off the chains that bind you, so you are free to follow Him home.
Now, what if you are standing clean before God today and still feel a bit trapped. Have you considered that the Holy Spirit might be attempting to “herd” you in a particular direction, one that is new and unknown? Are you resisting? Perhaps, the Lord is trying to limit your steps to protect you from a danger you cannot see. If this is the case, slow down and cease your struggle. God will tell you when it’s time to move. You just need to keep in mind that the Shepherd hears your voice and you will know His.
From one herded sheep to another,
Barbara
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