5:00 am – that’s what time Jethro started barking.
When Jethro sees or hears a threat to his herd, he barks – otherwise, he is a very quiet dog. Jethro sounds the alarm and the goats break into formation…ears up, tails up, hackles up, snorts and hoof stomps indicate they are alert and ready. Jethro’s confident, threatening bark is usually intimidating enough to scare off the potential predator or problem. But it is 5:05 am… and he is still barking.
There is a pink hue on the horizon, the sun trying to wake up through the cover of night and clouds. I stumble into the dark, into the pasture and into an enormous hair ball. Jethro is happy to see me, but still tense.
Then I hear it… a low, deep, rumbling like a fierce battle of kettledrums building to a crescendo. Thunder rolls and booms through the dark morning sky. Following the thunder is the sound of a hard rain exploding through the woods behind me. I turn and can feel, more than see, the wall of water coming towards us. Awareness hits and almost simultaneously, dozens hooves, paws and a pair of boots run for cover in the small barn.
Rain pounds on the metal roof, lightening flashes across the sky and thunder continues to roar. Jethro, our brave defender, our proven protector and faithful guardian – is trying to fit his huge hairy body under the goat bench. Only his head fits. The rest of him sticks out into the sleeping area.
I stroked Jethro’s soft back with one hand and Luna’s sweet chin with the other. We stayed together through the storm.
Jethro is afraid of storms. Our faithful leader has a fear. We have so many expectations of our leaders, pastors and teachers. People in authority over us have the great responsibility of guiding us with wit, wisdom and by example. They live with everyone watching and expecting super-human abilities.
While they may be “super”, they are not superheros with superpowers. They are most certainly flawed human beings just like us. Our pastors struggle with some of the same fears and insecurities that we do.
Let’s find time to pray for our pastors and leaders today. Let’s ask God to continue to encourage and equip them for the important work to which they are called. A hand lifted in praise, a knee bent in prayer can be the gentle encouragement that gets a pastor through a storm. I want to be that encouragement today.
“But now, this is what the Lord says… ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.” Isaiah 43:1-2
“But encourage one another daily, as long as is is called, Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:13
