Black Chicken of Honey Dew Farm
"Have you seen Black Chicken?"
"Hmm, no, I haven't seen her in a couple of days. Maybe she's found a place to hide and brood."
We searched and searched, but we couldn't find her.
Six days passed, and still no Black Chicken. Ten days, fourteen days, and still no Black Chicken.
Sadly, we finally accepted that a predator must have gotten her. We had tried to keep her safe by providing a fenced-in, five-acre pasture where she was free to roam, scratch, and eat to her heart's content. She had a nice, clean, cozy coop to lay her eggs in and roost at night with our other ten hens. We gave her fresh, clean water and plenty of food.
But I guess that wasn't enough for Black Chicken. Maybe the worms were wormier on the other side of the fence. Every morning, as soon as the coop door opened, Black Chicken would find her way out and over the pasture fence. I didn't mind her scratching around the yard looking for bugs. It was actually fun to watch her try to steal a piece of the dog's food and see her watching us through the back glass door sometimes.
Each evening, as the sun slipped below the western horizon, Black Chicken would find her way safely back to the chicken yard and into the coop for a good night's rest. And repeat.
Now I wish I had taken the time to clip her wings. Then she would have had no choice but to stay in the large, safe boundaries we provided for her.
I wonder if Black Chicken saw her fenced-in pasture more as a prison than a safe haven. Maybe she felt trapped by her boundaries rather than recognizing the freedom and safety within the fence line. If only Black Chicken had chosen to stay inside the boundary.
Isn't God's law like a fence in our lives? God has given us His Word and His commands as boundaries to keep us safe—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. When we begin to see God's ways as trapping us, we lose sight of the great freedom we have in and through Christ. Just as I wanted to keep Black Chicken happy, safe, and productive (laying some eggs for breakfast for me)—doing what she was made to do—God has that same goal in mind for us. God desires for us to be blessed, spiritually safe, and bearing fruit that honors Him.
So, before you choose to fly over the fence of God's boundaries, consider the great freedom you already have in your life when you obey God first and foremost:
Freedom from the power of sin
Freedom from eternal death
Freedom to live with a clean conscience
Freedom from constantly looking over your shoulder, worried about getting caught
Freedom to produce much fruit
Freedom from many of the earthly consequences of sin
Freedom to laugh, love, and live in joy
Will you choose to live in the safety of God’s Word and commands today? He has your very best interest at heart!
Oh, we finally did find Black Chicken. Check out next month’s newsletter for the rest of the story