Aug
9
2017

The Barking Beagle

Posted in Faith | Leave a comment

I decided to take my walk much earlier than usual.
I had things to do around the house but wanted to get my walk in first.
I walked down to the stone wall at the beginning of our street.
I walked up the slight hill to go around the corner towards the cul-de-sac.

It was then I heard it.
I heard the beagle that lives in a house on our street.
My youngest daughter used to pet-sit for this family.
They have had a few beagles and even a litter of puppies through the years.

Whatever the beagle saw, or heard, or smelled, it was not able to catch it.
Their yard is fenced, though I am sure a beagle can dig a hole under the fence if motivated.
The sound of the bark was so forlorn.
This beagle wanted whatever was nearby.

Since we have woods around us, it is possible that it was a deer.
Perhaps it was a rabbit or the fox that is seen in the woods.
This beagle was desperate to chase the intruder.
Chasing the intruder seems to be instinctive to the breed.

I have seen this beagle chase something in the woods.
I have heard the desperate bark as he follows the scent.
It was the same bark that I heard on my walk.
I wondered what the beagle was trying to catch.

The first time I ever heard the sound of a foxhound was in Mary Poppins.
I remember the foxhunt scene when Mary Poppins raced off on a merry-go-round horse.
Jane and Michael were not far behind.
I remember the sound of the beagles barking and the animated fox that was too cute to chase.

I have seen movies with actual foxhunts.
I live in an area where foxhunts still take place.
I see a fox that lives in my woods and walks along my stone wall.
Perhaps that same fox was what made the beagle bark while I was out walking.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we had our own beagle that could bark at an intruder?
Wouldn’t it be nice if something warned us when danger was near?
Can you imagine if we were forewarned about something that would harm us?
What if there was a loud bark that would always sound an alarm?

My dove is in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. Catch for us the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyard that are in bloom. (Song of Songs 2:14,15)

Song of Songs was written by Solomon.
Solomon was the son of King David.
Solomon was the author of this book, the book of Ecclesiastes, and the book of Proverbs.
King Solomon was known the world over for his wisdom.

Song of Songs is a love poem.
Some of the most beautiful poetry is found in its chapters.
Solomon talks about the little foxes that have come into the vineyard.
The little foxes are those things that can ruin a relationship.

Solomon wants those little foxes caught before they have a chance to cause damage.
Little foxes are not cute like the animated Mary Poppins fox.
Little foxes, if left unchecked, wreak havoc.
Little foxes must be caught.

I thought of Solomon and the little foxes as I heard the beagle on my walk.
The family obviously heard their beagle barking.
The dog was protecting their property from whatever was trying to intrude.
I am sure whatever was in the woods was long gone when it heard the bark of the beagle.

We do not have our own beagle to warn us but we do have the Holy Spirit.
We do not hear loud barking but we can hear the voice of our conscience.
We cannot chase everything away as we live in this world but we can chase some things away.
We have to be on our guard for those things that can dig under the fence.

We all have little foxes in our lives.
We all have temptations that nip at our heels.
We all have intruders that walk into our life when we leave the door open just a bit.
We think we are protected behind the fence, but we are wrong.

If the fence is one of our own making, it will not keep us safe.
If the fence is one we constructed, it will not stand.
Where is our barking beagle when we need it?
Who will sound the alarm and catch the little foxes before they ruin everything?

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. (James 4:7)

The enemy of our souls is the fox that is trying to ruin our vineyard.
If we are in Christ, we have protection in Him.
Jesus stands between us and His Father; He is our Mediator and our Advocate.
The accusations the enemy hurls at us are no match for the Victorious One.

The enemy of our soul is a fox.
He comes to steal, kill, and destroy.
Resist Him with a loud voice using God’s Word as your sword.
Flee from Him so that he has to flee from you.

Come near to God.
Foxes are no match for Him.
Sound the alarm.
You belong to Someone else; the fox is not welcome here.

Whispers of His Movement and Whispers in Verse books are now available in paperback and e-book!

http://www.whispersofhismovement.com/book/

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