The Shepherd

Something itched in his throat. As he opened his mouth, a blood curling scream came hurling out. “WHY?!” His cry echoed in the mountains. All that he had ever known, all that he had ever seen, all that he had ever loved had been stripped away from him; he was left with nothing, accompanied by no one, and the god that he had once served had left him.

He walked along the trodden mountainous pathway, avoiding falling off the edge from the anorexic narrowness of the trail. With everything he had gone though, he did not care if he fell or not. How could everything be stripped away from him like this? He had done his duty to his family, to his country, to his leader, to his god. And now all things of the past – memories, people, belongings – everything was blown away with just a slight breeze. Gone.

His thoughts betrayed him. He thought of the first moment he laid eyes on his future wife, the day his children were born, the time when he was honoured before the whole clan for his many heroic acts. Life, now barren like the earth that he walked on, did not seem worth living anymore. There was no one to go to, no one to give him hope. Not even Makiel was there for him.

Makiel. The one and only god he had served since he was a child, a mere boy. Makiel, for all of his efforts, endless pleadings, continuous sacrifices, had never spoken to him, never exclaimed his love for him, never even gave him anything. His wife, his child, his honours – all were the works of fate. Makiel was supposed to be loving, caring, a shepherd to those who served him. Instead, he remained silent, a mute to those who so longingly cared for his attentions.

It was silent. Dead like a tree in the winter. The path was a lonely one, even more so with only his thoughts accompanying him. He shuffled along, dragging his feet, with no destination in mind. The scenery of the foot path was as interesting as anything else, so as he walked, he continued to look down.

A voice startled him out of his mindlessness. He looked around. A Shepherd was standing in a valley along the trail. His mouth didn’t move. It was almost as if the man had spoken to him…in his head. Impossible. Only a god could do that, and no god would belittle himself to take the lowly form of a human. He shook his head and continued walking.

Look around. This is my creation. I created it for you. I love you. I created you. I will never leave you. The words startled him. How could a mere man create him? Much less everything around him. He tried speaking back. You? He scoffed. Why should I believe you? If you’re so wonderful, and so loving, and had the ability to create things, then WHY did you take away everything I’ve ever known? He screamed it.

Then he dared to look the man in the eyes. Those eyes. They were the most intense green. It didn’t make sense. No one had green eyes. He dared to look into them longer, deeper. They showed love. They showed pain. They showed hurt. They showed the longing for a relationship unknown to mankind. How could he read this man so easily? Who are you? He wondered.

I Am. The voice came to him. I am everything. I am the sun shining down on you. I am the soft grass beneath your feet. I am the love you felt for your children on the day they were born. I am the pain you felt when you lost everything. I am. He was amazed. But that question was still nagging him. Why then, did you take everything away? He asked with his teeth clenched.

I care for you. I care for all of my creation. When you served the god Makiel with your whole being and received nothing in return, my heart broke for you. Not because of his silence, but because you were serving a god that is dead. A god that has no power, no emotions, nothing. In order to bring you to me, I needed to strip away everything you’ve ever known. So that in your pain, your anger, your hurt, your anguish, you might come to me. I created you and I love you. Serve me, and I will remain with you until the end. Love me and I will love you until the end. Speak to me, become closer to me, and we will have a relationship that no one has ever seen.

The voice ceased in speech. He mulled over what he had just heard. Was it possible? Could such things really be possible? He paused. He had nothing more to lose, save his own life. It wouldn’t hurt to take this man up on his offer. I accept. I will love you. I will serve you. I will commune with you.

It came to him all of a sudden. A wave of love so strong, that he almost fell to the ground. He began weeping. Strong pain washed over him. He bent over from the strength of it. A wave of hurt came. He wept uncontrollably. Great joy came next. He stood and stretched his hands, laughing loudly. Then the love came again, in a much stronger dose.  He was overwhelmed. He looked for the Shepherd to thank him. He was gone. It couldn’t have been…Yeshua? The God his neighbors had claimed for years was the one and only real God? Who herded his flock as a Shepherd would his sheep. He sharply took in his breath. Yeshua.

He began walking along the pathway again. He would do so until he received instruction. Everything seemed so much brighter. The sun actually felt warm, the grass looked vibrantly green, the noises from the animals so much more distinct. Love others as I have loved you. He looked around. Still no one. I will. He continued walking along the trail. As he came around the bend, he saw a small, abandoned child curled up, lying on the side of the road. He bent down, took him in his arms, held him tight, and whispered, “I love you.”