A STORY ABOUT MUCH-AFRAID

I want to tell you a story about a little girl named Much-Afraid. It is not a long story, nor is it a true story.  No, it is a story that illustrates what it is like to become a believer in the One God who gave Himself to His people that they might know Him, and therefore know Love.


Much-Afraid was a young woman who lived among her family, people who were named after fear and fearful things.  She  wanted badly to escape from them, especially since she found they were to marry her to a man named Craven Fear. For a long time Much-Afraid had been in the service of the Chief Shepherd, who had large flocks in the pasture down in the Valley of Humiliation, and she loved being near to him because of his Love which he  gave to all around him.


Now, Much-Afraid had some hardships that kept her away from the attention of most of her people, but not out of the attention of the Chief Shepherd and her co-workers, Mercy and Peace.  The two girls lived with her in a tranquil little white cottage but all three were friends with Much-Afraid. And all three were aware of Much-Afraid's badly mangled feet and her timidity.  They each wanted her to attempt to earn hind's feet so that she might be able to jump and skip on the mountain cliffs like the hinds, whom some call mountain goats, do. And, even more importantly, to live among the people who Love.


In order to earn these miraculous feet which could let her jump and skip and climb easily, she had to offer herself to the Chief Shepherd and stay obedient, which means without fear, for a duration to earn her new, miraculous feet and find that new, miraculous attitude called Love.


One day she set out, and immediately became afraid because she had to pass by her own family and she was certain they would see her and stop her.  Her feet began to tangle, just a wee bit.  Then, she began to worry that she had missed the Shepherd, and her tangled feet slowed her down some more.
But, finally she came to the well where she realized he had been waiting. When she saw the Shepherd, she knew right away that he was disappointed.  "Where were you when I gave you the signal that you should join me?" he asked.


"You did?" she answered.  "I didn't hear or see you.  Oh, I was hiding out from the guy I'm supposed to marry! I was so afraid he would find me, so I didn't see you or hear you!  I'm so sorry!"  "Yes, I know," the Shepherd said. "Nevertheless, you must always be watching first for me!  OK?  Next time, you must be looking to find me!"  She agreed, and the journey was to begin.(Thus ends today's edition.)


I will continue this little story of imagination tomorrow and continue with it until it is done. I hope you like it! It is an old one written by a woman named Hannah Hurnard,  and it is called HINDS FEET FOR HIGH PLACES.


PS.  Max and the two of us are doing fine!


Jo INMN