The Shepherd's Rod

In the sprawling, industrial city of Steam Haven, where brass gears turned and steam billowed from towering chimneys, Caleb was busy working on a new clock for a customer. He was a young teen with smudged cheeks and eyes that shone with curiosity. Despite his intense focus when he was working on a project, Caleb had a heart as big as the skyship that occasionally passed overhead, and he always seemed to find the silver lining in every gear-clogged machine.

Caleb's close friend, Amara --a girl with a spirit as wild as the swirling cogs and pistons that powered the city-- was always full of life, her laughter resonating through the labyrinthine streets.  But today, she looked like she was being plagued by a dark cloud. The sparkle in her eyes had dimmed, and the laughter, once so contagious, had become a rare occurrence.

Caleb looked up from his work. The magnifying monocle still over his one eye made it look huge as he looked at Amara. She made at slight jump and then smiled sheepishly. “How about we go sit on the steps and have a lemonade,” he said.  Amara nodded in agreement. Caleb took off the leather band from his head that held the magnifier and set it on the workbench. He stepped over to the end of the workbench where there was a small fridge. Opening the door he saw a small pitcher of lemonade being cooled by the block of ice it was sitting next to. He smiled, his mom knew how much he liked lemonade and always kept a pitcher there for him. He took it out, got two glasses from the shelf above and poured a glass for Amara and himself. They walked out to the little porch of the workshop.  After handing Amara her lemonade Caleb noticed that she didn’t sit down but stayed standing looking absently at the passers-by on the street. An automaton driven taxi chugged by, and going in the opposite direction a bicycle driven hot dog cart passed, it’s steam release making a soft, high-pitched whistle, but it didn’t seem like she noticed any of it. Caleb asked her, "What's been bothering you, Amara? You've not been yourself lately."

Amara sighed, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the ornate pendant that hung around her neck. "Caleb, I've been feeling lost, as if I'm a broken automaton in need of repairs. Except for you all my other friends seem to be distancing themselves from me, things are not good at home right now with my dad having to make so any trips for his business, I can’t seem to focus on my studies, and I can't help but wonder if there's something more to life than this!"

Caleb nodded, his heart heavy with concern. "I understand, Amara. The world can be a harsh place."

“I realize that we don’t live in a perfect world,” she said. “But when I became a Christian a couple of years ago, everything seemed so bright and the long-term looked so promising! Now it feels like everything is dark and closing in around me.” Amara looked at Caleb with tears in her eyes and took an absent sip of her lemonade. “Has God left me to face life alone now that I have committed to Him?”

Caleb turned and looked out at the wood and brick buildings that lined his street. He could hear the steam driven saws that were being used in the chair making shop next door. He took time to think for a minute then turned back to Amara.

“I’m going to tell you the same thing my dad told me just a few years ago when I was going through a similar time.” Caleb motioned to the bench along the workshop wall.

They both sat down and Caleb continued, “Do you remember Psalms 23?” Amara nodded.  Caleb proceeded, “The first verse says that we will not need anything because the Lord is our shepherd. It doesn’t mean that we will never need anything in life, it is referring to the next to verses where it says that He makes us to lie down in green pastures and leads us to still waters, gives us new life and guides us to the right road.” Amara smiled slightly as she remembered what Caleb was saying. Feeling more confident, Caleb went on. “In verse four it starts to get rough because Jesus leads us into the valley of shadow of death.  Things get dark and rough in our lives. That is because Satan attacks in earnest to try and drive us away from God. But what the first three verses tell us is that Jesus has given us everything we need to fight off the devil, and Jesus goes with us. He carries his shepherd's rod and uses the shaft to beat back the evil that we can’t handle, and if we make a mistake and fall off the path He uses the crook of the rod to pick us up and put us back on the path. Then in verses five and six, it says that when we reach the end He will bless us with a full table, and that loving and kind blessings will follow us and we will live with God forever!”

Caleb paused and looked over at Amara, who was staring deep into her glass of lemonade. Caleb took a deep breath and continued hoping this would help Amara. “How I understand it is that we are all going through the shadow of death right now and things are going to be dark and gloomy. But Jesus gave us everything we needed when we came to Him, and even though that is true, He is still at our side to help whenever we feel lost. We just have to keep our eyes set on the future, when this will all be over and we can relax and enjoy being in God’s loving presence forever.”

Wiping a tear off her cheek Amara looked at Caleb and gave him a smile. “Thank you Caleb. You can tell your dad that he gave you the right words to pass onto me. I know that we will have tough times, I just needed to be reminded that Jesus is always there with us to help us through.”

Over the next few weeks Caleb and Amara ventured into Steam Haven's hidden corners, where cobblestone streets wound around ivy-covered lampposts, and pockets of greenery flourished in the crevices of forgotten alleyways.

They discovered an old inventor named Professor Thistledown, a hermit who had mastered the art of mechanical wonders and intricate clockwork sculptures. The professor took Amara under his wing, teaching her the delicate art of creating whimsical contraptions powered by dreams and a dash of imagination. Through the study of God’s words and the cogs and gears of her newfound hobby, Amara slowly began to regain her sense of purpose and joy.

As the weeks turned into months, Amara's spirit gradually rekindled. Her laughter returned, brighter than ever, and the sparkle in her eyes shone like polished brass. She created enchanting sculptures and whimsical devices that brought wonder and joy to the people of Steam Haven. Together with Caleb, they even crafted a magnificent steam-powered carousel that became a symbol of hope in their industrialized world.

In the midst of the gears and steam,  Amara found the power of Jesus to mend her spirits. She learned that, just like the intricate clockwork that powered their city, the human heart required careful attention and maintenance. And in the world of brass and steam, her friendships and newfound understanding of God became the gears that kept her spirits turning, moving forward to heaven against the backdrop of a city that never stopped.

 

 

Psalms 23:1-4, ISV

The Lord is the one who is shepherding me; I lack nothing.

He causes me to lie down in pastures of green grass; He guides me beside quiet waters.

He revives my life; He leads me in pathways that are righteous for the sake of His name.

Even when I walk through a valley of deep darkness, I will not be afraid because You are with me. Your rod and staff--they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me, even in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Truly, goodness and gracious love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will remain in the Lord’s Temple forever.