Samuel was a goatherd. Do you know what a goatherd is? A shepherd takes care of sheep, and a goatherd takes care of goats. Samuel was a very patient goatherd and loved his goats and his goats loved him. He had a herd of over one hundred goats.
Samuel lived in a small Indian village and every day he took his goats out into the surrounding hillside so that they could enjoy eating the fresh grass and drinking the cool water from the small lake. Goats have charming personalities. They are agile and playful and need space to run, so Samuel enjoyed taking them out every day to play and run. They are very social, curious, gentle, independent and intelligent creatures. Samuel’s goats loved to climb, jump, crawl, and run over or under anything they wanted to. It is said of goats, that if they stay in their pasture, it is because they want to be there; and Samuel’s goats always remained in his pasture when they were home.
Samuel raised his female goats for their milk, which he sold at the market. Yet he loved, also, the male goats. He did not sell them for meat. He knew that it was cruel to kill an animal just for food. God has given man plenty of good fruits, vegetable and grains for food. Meat is not necessary. Every night he carefully led his goats back to their paddock and safely locked the gate behind them. There was a large barn at the end of the paddock where the goats could go inside when the weather was very rainy because goats hate to get wet. He then went inside and said his prayers, thanking God for His protection during the day of himself and his herd of goats.
Occasionally, on hot nights, Samuel would spend the night with his goats in the barn, but the goats were content when they saw him enter his farmhouse, knowing that in the morning he would come out and spend the day with them again. They would patiently wait for him because they loved him and had learned to trust him.
When the goats got older, and were no longer productive, he still tenderly cared for them. He loved and adored them all, both male and female. They were his family and since a goat has his/her own distinct personality he had a name for each one of them. His wife had passed away 3 years ago and his children had grown up and moved away from the village to the big city, so Samuel and his goats lived together in the old farmstead.
Samuel’s goats could recognise his call and would always respond by running to him and surrounding him when he called. He raised them with love and care. When any goat had an injury, he nursed it with compassion and he was gentle with them when they got old.
On Sabbath, they followed him to church and patiently grazed on the grass in the pasture beside the church while Samuel was inside worshipping the Lord. As long as they could hear Samuel’s voice, they would remain close by. Samuel led out in the worship services and thus his goats heard his voice when he was preaching and teaching. Samuel also sang the loudest so his goats could hear his voice. The church members had grown to love the goats that came to church every Sabbath to hear their goatherd preach to them.
After worship services, the children enjoyed going out amongst them and petting them and romping in the fields with them. They also had made a special bond with the goats.
When it was time to go home, Samuel simply called to his goats and they obediently followed him.
Samuel spent almost every day with his goats and since goats love routine, they had grown to love Samuel’s daily routine.
Samuel did, however, have to go to town once in awhile to purchase food and other supplies for the farm. It was not easy to leave his goats at home when he went, but he could not take the whole herd into town. He would pray in the morning that the Lord would take care of his flock, and then he would feed them and lock the gate in their paddock before quietly slipping away to go to town. Sometimes they noticed and were bleating sadly, and it was hard for Samuel to continue on his journey, leaving his beloved goats at home for the day, but he had to go. He simply sent up another prayer to his heavenly Father to protect his beloved flock. The goats trusted that he would return, as he always did, and were very happy to see him when he came home.
One day, after a trip into town, he came home and was shocked to find the door of the goat paddock open. He rushed inside and saw that all his goats were gone. Surely, they had not tried to follow him into town. They had never done that before and he did not see them along the road on his return journey. Samuel rushed out to the nearby hillsides, searching for, and calling for his goats. He knew that they would come running when they heard his voice. After an hour, there was no sign of the goats. Samuel was getting frantic. What had happened to his goats?
He rushed home, went inside and knelt down to pray. He cried unto the Lord, asking for the whereabouts of the goats. Surely, they must have been stolen—his dear beloved goats. He couldn’t imagine that they had run away. Some mischief must have come to them.
After praying he went out to talk to his neighbours about the goats. Everyone in the village knew about Samuel and his goats and would have recognized them. But no one had seen them escape. However, since the villagers had learned to love Samuel and his goats and knew how much those goats meant to Samuel, they also rushed out of their homes to try to help him find the goats. Some searched the hills around the village. Some travelled up the road towards the town asking everyone along the way if they had seen any missing goats.
As they neared the town, they met a man riding a bicycle and he told them that indeed he had seen a truck full of goats travelling from the village into the town. He described the truck to them.
Samuel and the villagers then went to the police station to report the theft. The police agreed to help the search. The police chief was also a friend of Samuel’s and knew how much the goats meant to him. The villagers and police went through the town in search of the truck. It was one of the villagers who first spotted the truck parked near a hotel. The driver and his assistants were having their dinner in the hotel.
The villager went up to the driver and asked him about the goats, but he claimed that the goats were his own. Not long after, the police and Samuel also arrived. The police also questioned the driver, but he was firm in his stand. The driver asked Samuel whether he had any evidence to prove that the goats in the truck belonged to him.
Samuel boldly told the driver and the police, “My goats can recognise me and my voice. I shall call them and if they respond by running to me, you can be sure that the goats are mine. Everyone agreed. They moved towards the truck. The police asked the driver to open the bars surrounding the truck. Samuel called his flock in a loud and loving tone. Suddenly, all the goats jumped out of the truck and ran to him. They surrounded him and he patted them with affection. The police arrested the thieves and Samuel returned to his farm with his beloved goats. The villagers celebrated the victory and returned to their village jubilantly.
Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” John 10:11. “I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep.” John 10:14–15. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” John 10: 27–28
The Bible describes Jesus as the Good Shepherd who loves His sheep. We are His sheep. He went to look for us when we were lost. He takes care of us when we are sick. He feeds us when we are hungry. And if we are in trouble, He will help us. He wants to take us back to His home in heaven one day. And what do we have to do? We must follow Him when He calls us. We need to listen to His voice. He tells us when we are in danger and leads us to safety. It is very important that we recognize the voice of Jesus. There are many voices in the world calling us in many different directions, but we have to clearly recognize Jesus’ voice and follow in the direction that He is leading. We have to trust Him that He is leading us to safety. That is why it is important that you pray and read your Bible every day. This way you will learn to hear the voice of Jesus when He calls you. His voice talks to you from the Bible.
Samuel spent almost every day with his goats and since goats love routine, they had grown to love Samuel’s daily routine.
Samuel did, however, have to go to town once in awhile to purchase food and other supplies for the farm. It was not easy to leave his goats at home when he went, but he could not take the whole herd into town. He would pray in the morning that the Lord would take care of his flock, and then he would feed them and lock the gate in their paddock before quietly slipping away to go to town. Sometimes they noticed and were bleating sadly, and it was hard for Samuel to continue on his journey, leaving his beloved goats at home for the day, but he had to go. He simply sent up another prayer to his heavenly Father to protect his beloved flock. The goats trusted that he would return, as he always did, and were very happy to see him when he came home.
One day, after a trip into town, he came home and was shocked to find the door of the goat paddock open. He rushed inside and saw that all his goats were gone. Surely, they had not tried to follow him into town. They had never done that before and he did not see them along the road on his return journey. Samuel rushed out to the nearby hillsides, searching for, and calling for, his goats. He knew that they would come running when they heard his voice. After an hour, there was no sign of the goats. Samuel was getting frantic. What had happened to his goats?
He rushed home, went inside and knelt down to pray. He cried unto the Lord, asking for the whereabouts of the goats. Surely, they must have been stolen—his dear beloved goats. He could not imagine that they had run away. Some mischief must have come to them.
After praying he went out to talk to his neighbours about the goats. Everyone in the village knew about Samuel and his goats and would have recognized them. But no one had seen them escape. However, since the villagers had learned to love Samuel and his goats and knew how much those goats meant to Samuel, they also rushed out of their homes to try to help him find the goats. Some searched the hills around the village. Some travelled up the road towards the town asking everyone along the way if they had seen any missing goats.
As they neared the town, they met a man riding a bicycle and he told them that indeed he had seen a truck full of goats travelling from the village into the town. He described the truck to them.
Samuel and the villagers then went to the police station to report the theft. The police agreed to help the search. The police chief was also a friend of Samuel’s and knew how much the goats meant to him. The villagers and police went through the town in search of the truck. It was one of the villagers who first spotted the truck parked near a hotel. The driver and his assistants were having their dinner in the hotel.
The villager went up to the driver and asked him about the goats, but he claimed that the goats were his own. Not long after, the police and Samuel also arrived. The police also questioned the driver, but he was firm in his stand. The driver asked Samuel whether he had any evidence to prove that the goats in the truck belonged to him.
Samuel boldly told the driver and the police, “My goats can recognise me and my voice. I shall call them and if they respond by running to me, you can be sure that the goats are mine. Everyone agreed. They moved towards the truck. The police asked the driver to open the bars surrounding the truck. Samuel called his flock in a loud and loving tone. Suddenly, all the goats jumped out of the truck and ran to him. They surrounded him and he patted them with affection. The police arrested the thieves and Samuel returned to his farm with his beloved goats. The villagers celebrated the victory and returned to their village jubilantly.
Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” John 10:11. “I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep.” John 10:14–15. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” John 10: 27–28
The Bible describes Jesus as the Good Shepherd who loves His sheep. We are His sheep. He went to look for us when we were lost. He takes care of us when we are sick. He feeds us when we are hungry. And if we are in trouble, He will help us. He wants to take us back to His home in heaven one day. And what do we have to do? We must follow Him when He calls us. We need to listen to His voice. He tells us when we are in danger and leads us to safety. It is very important that we recognize the voice of Jesus. There are many voices in the world calling us in many different directions, but we have to clearly recognize Jesus’ voice and follow in the direction that He is leading. We have to trust Him that He is leading us to safety. That is why it is important that you pray and read your Bible every day. This way you will learn to hear the voice of Jesus when He calls you. His voice talks to you from the Bible.