Sweet Sounds From Heaven

Living in the country is a wonderful experience. Nothing unusual to see deer grazing in my back yard. Not long ago, I enjoyed watching about eight wild turkeys hang out for several hours. Flocks of birds are commonplace, and all this is truly a treat on a routine basis.

Yesterday, while putting on my shoes for an anticipated short road trip and glancing out the window, there it was, undeniably ~ a hog. Where in the world did it come from and what do I do now was my first thought. Observing God’s creature up close from my window, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the black sleek animal. I know people love to eat them was my predominant startling thought.

All my neighbors are wonderful, and I know they all hunt and eat what they kill. Any one of them would probably help with my dilemma, but black, sleek, wag-your-tail hoggie would be bacon. Kinda made me feel like L’Aquila Deville killing the puppies to make a coat. Did not make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. So, I did nothing, except make some phone calls.

Today, the hog is rooting and tearing up my back yard in a hurry. Drinking from my drippy water faucet which has been on because of the current freezes, Hoggie has found a home. O.K., it’s got to go. Then it dawned on me, I can pray for help about anything. I prayed and asked my Heavenly Father to give me an easy, painless solution. I knew it might not be painless for the hog, but at least for me.

Discussing the dilemma with a neighbor, he was willing and ready to take care of Miss Piggy. I decided I’d just hang out some place else until the event was over. The hog had been around for two days and two night. I knew it was not going to just willingly leave. Admittedly, I fed it breakfast. Well, if it’s going to die anyway, might as well give it one last meal was my thinking.

My yard is fenced and has a gate. Only problem is, lately I’ve been leaving the gate wide open, so I figured the hog walked right in. Next thing I knew, after an investigation by my neighbor, he reported the hog was no place to be found in my yard.

Back home, I closed the gate, end of story, right?. Not really. Remember I prayed and asked for help, for it to be easy and painless. God is so Merciful, even for the hog (on my watch). Actually, while walking with more neighbors within the hour, we saw what looked like a black critter running down the road in front of my yard, then running back up the road. Once in front of my house, a closer inspection revealed hog foot prints. It was trying to return, but denied entrance.

The open gate policy was terminated. Sort of reminded me of sin, actually. We have these gates: our eye gate, our ear gate, our mind gate, and what we see and hear and think gets inside of us. If we feed it, it has found a home. Don’t think sin won’t work against our soft side, because it will. What we tolerate, we will later have to live with.

BUT GOD!!

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.

This situation sort of reminded me of Peter when he was placed in prison for preaching Jesus. He was not worried, but rather asleep. Prayer was going up around the clock for Peter’s release. Acts 12:7-11 And behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison; and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands, and the angel said unto him, Gird thyself and bind on thy sandals, and so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me, and he went out, and followed him; and did not consider that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first guard and the second guard, they came unto the iron gate that lead unto the city; which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out, and passed on through one street; and at once the angel left him. And when Peter was come to himself, he said Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.

O.K., that was Peter and this is just me and the hog. God is just as concerned about my situation as He was about Peter and his impending death. Also, God honors faith. I really did believe God would help me, but when it happened the way it did, it took me by surprise because the Hog was very much at home in my yard. Remember, I had fed it and it had been here 48 hours. We had even made eye contact and hoggie was not afraid of me. Actually, I think she was kind of liking me. We just have to love how God does things and we can’t even imagine or figure it out. That’s why He’s God and we are not. Thank You Jesus for Your Marvelous Grace and my Wonderful Neighbors, and the lessons I learned with Miss Piggy.

Filed under: Spiritual Insights