2020 Daily Devotion - Day 234

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A few years ago, this was reported in the Denver Post:

A sheep rancher in the West, Lexy Lowler, has tried just about everything to stop crafty coyotes from killing her sheep. She has used odor sprays, electric fences, and "scare-coyotes."
She has slept with her lambs during the summer and has placed battery-operated radios near them. She has corralled them at night, herded them at day. But the southern Montana rancher has lost scores of lambs--fifty last year alone.
Then she discovered the llama--the aggressive, funny-looking, afraid-of-nothing llama.... "Llamas don't appear to be afraid of anything," she said. "When they see something, they put their head up and walk straight toward it. That is aggressive behavior as far as the coyote is concerned, and they won't have anything to do with that.... Coyotes are opportunists, and llamas take that opportunity away."

I am going to remember this the next time I see llamas at our annual Drive- Thru Nativity, (Don’t tell anyone but llamas are native to South America and not Bethlehem, but since they are the cousin to the camel, I suppose we can still get away with it.)

Knowing llamas are so assertive needs to be an inspiration to all of us. Too many times we have allowed our timidity to reign and rule. More than once we have allowed fear and worry to control and manipulate us. However, we can have the spirit of a llama because God is our strength.

Psalm 56:3-4 ESV
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, there are more times than we would like to admit, when we have been “afraid of our shadows”. Remind us that we can put our trust in You. We need not be afraid because You lead the way. Give us the spirit of the llama. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Yours because of Him,
Pastor John R. Steward
Senior Pastor
Mount of Olives Church
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