RUN-AWAY CHICKENS
This was a time of yesteryear, a memory in my mind, a time of visiting some friends, a lesson to be learned, and now a tale to be told.
This probably happened in the middle 1960s, I was probably around 8 or 10 years old at that time. My parents and I drove up to the Teal residence someplace in New York. We had our 1960 Studdabaker at that time. Mr. and Mrs Teal had a nice home in the country. They had a daughter named Glenda, at that time she was probably a teenager.
Earl Teal was from Germany, his wife, I can't remember her name now, was from Sweden. They had a German Shepherd named "Fritz." On their property were many strawberry and blackberry plants. They also had a chicken coop.
The chicken coop is the base of this story devotional. When we went there that day, Glenda took me to help her collect the eggs that the chickens had laid in their nests. Glenda left for the house with the eggs and I stayed behind to watch and observe the chickens. I came back to the house perhaps a half-hour later. We were all having dinner when suddenly, my mom said with a bit of surprise,
"The chickens are loose!"
We all looked out the window to see half the chicken coop population running around outside, all over the property, even near the woods. Mom looked at me and questioned with an angry look;
"Did you let those chickens loose?"
I really didn't know what to say, only that I had not secured the screen door that enclosed the coop.
"Well, I..." I began, but before I could finish, Mrs. Teal said;
"That's OK Ann, the chickens will find their way home, they know where they live."
Mom and I didn't say a word all the way home, dad didn't say anything either. When we got back to our home in Chappaqua, it was dark. Then the phone rang, it was Mrs. Teal. She called to say that the chickens had all returned to the coop, that all was well.
Many times, believers will venture out of the safety of our relationship with the LORD. They will leave and wander in the world of sin, of mischief, places that are not familiar, they will become the "prodigal sons and daughters for a season. But, if they are really sons and daughters of God, they will return home, and our heavenly Father will be there waiting, perhaps with a stern scolding, but still, with love.
If we live in God's Coop, then, let's stay there, there's safety in the company of believers, if we see an "open door" be careful, it may be a trick of the deceiver and father of lies to get us to stray off the path. Let's stay put and stay within the confounds of the WORD and God's perfect will.
This was a time of yesteryear, a memory in my mind, a time of visiting some friends, a lesson to be learned, and now a tale to be told.
This probably happened in the middle 1960s, I was probably around 8 or 10 years old at that time. My parents and I drove up to the Teal residence someplace in New York. We had our 1960 Studdabaker at that time. Mr. and Mrs Teal had a nice home in the country. They had a daughter named Glenda, at that time she was probably a teenager.
Earl Teal was from Germany, his wife, I can't remember her name now, was from Sweden. They had a German Shepherd named "Fritz." On their property were many strawberry and blackberry plants. They also had a chicken coop.
The chicken coop is the base of this story devotional. When we went there that day, Glenda took me to help her collect the eggs that the chickens had laid in their nests. Glenda left for the house with the eggs and I stayed behind to watch and observe the chickens. I came back to the house perhaps a half-hour later. We were all having dinner when suddenly, my mom said with a bit of surprise,
"The chickens are loose!"
We all looked out the window to see half the chicken coop population running around outside, all over the property, even near the woods. Mom looked at me and questioned with an angry look;
"Did you let those chickens loose?"
I really didn't know what to say, only that I had not secured the screen door that enclosed the coop.
"Well, I..." I began, but before I could finish, Mrs. Teal said;
"That's OK Ann, the chickens will find their way home, they know where they live."
Mom and I didn't say a word all the way home, dad didn't say anything either. When we got back to our home in Chappaqua, it was dark. Then the phone rang, it was Mrs. Teal. She called to say that the chickens had all returned to the coop, that all was well.
Many times, believers will venture out of the safety of our relationship with the LORD. They will leave and wander in the world of sin, of mischief, places that are not familiar, they will become the "prodigal sons and daughters for a season. But, if they are really sons and daughters of God, they will return home, and our heavenly Father will be there waiting, perhaps with a stern scolding, but still, with love.
If we live in God's Coop, then, let's stay there, there's safety in the company of believers, if we see an "open door" be careful, it may be a trick of the deceiver and father of lies to get us to stray off the path. Let's stay put and stay within the confounds of the WORD and God's perfect will.
