(LUKE 2:8-20) HASTE

THERE’S A CORNY BIBLE JOKE

THAT GOES

THE SHEPHERDS AT BETHLEHEM HAD A DOG

NAMED HASTE

BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS

THE SHEPHERDS WENT WITH HASTE

TO BETHLEHEM

TO SEE WHAT HAD TAKEN PLACE

CORNY BUT I LIKE IT

NOT TOO FAR AFIELD

TO SAY THERE WAS A DOG PRESENT

OR EVEN DOGS

THEY WERE USEFUL HERDING SHEEP

THEY OFTEN JUST LAY OUTSIDE THE CIRCLE OF SHEEP

THEIR PRESENCE

KEEPING THE SHEEP SAFE INSIDE

OFTEN THEY FACED OFF PREDATORS

 THAT ROAMED LIKE HUNGRY LIONS

SEEKING WHOM THEY MAY DEVOUR

SOMETIMES THE SHEPHERD

LEFT THEM TO GUARD THE FLOCK

WHILE THEY SOUGHT LOST SHEEP

MAYBE THEY WERE NAMED HASTE

BUT MORE LIKELY THEY WERE CALLED

BARBARA

FRANK

HANK

PAT

SCOTT

DIANE

LEFT BY THE SHEPHERD

WHEN HE WENT AWAY

TO GUARD THE FLOCK BY EXAMPLE

TO TEACH THEM LIMITS

BY RESISTING WHAT WOULD HARM THEM

BY STANDING WATCH AT NIGHT

A WARM PRESENCE

WHEN THE NIGHT WAS COLD

WHEN ALL THEY COULD DO WAS BE THERE

HASTE WAS HAPPY TO BE USEFUL

WORKING WITH HIS MASTER

GUARDING THE SHEEP

THE MASTER GUARDING BOTH THEM

AND HIM

FRANK A VOLLMER