Wren didn’t have long to think about that question, because at that same moment an actual lion came out of the woods.
She couldn’t believe it. Where on earth was she?
The lion didn’t have a mane, so she guessed it was a girl cat. She thought she’d read somewhere in one of her science books that the girl lions were the ones who hunted.
Girl power!
She would have laughed at her own joke, but given the situation, nothing was funny.
It looked like the lion had come after the same thing the bear had. The massive cat moved slowly toward the sheep, its large brown eyes locked on its target.
The worst part of all this was that Wren felt helpless sitting there on the rock. The poor sheep couldn’t catch a break. First the bear…
The lion charged at the closest sheep and snatched it up in its fangs.
The predator took its prey into the forest, and once again, the young man ran after the sheep, staff in hand.
There was no way on earth he could beat the bear and the lion.
But that’s exactly what he did. Covered in more blood than before, he reappeared from the woods a few minutes later holding the sheep in his bloody arms!
No way.
Wren could not believe what she had just witnessed. Part of her was afraid to say anything to the boy in fear he might attack her like he did the two wild animals. But then she remembered how he had waved to her earlier. Plus, she thought of how bad life had gotten back in Kansas. She was more eager than afraid to meet this young man.
I’ve got nothing to lose!
She stood up on the boulder with her hands in the air.
Don’t attack me like you did the bear and the lion!
“Hello! I’m Wren. What’s your name?”
“I’m David.”
David? Why does all this seem familiar?
“How on earth did you do that?”
“Do what?”
Wren laughed. “You fought a bear and a lion and saved the sheep. How did you do that?”
“Well, Wren…” The young man paused to pick up one of the other sheep. “I had help.”
“I didn’t see anybody.”
“God helped me. He’s invisible. That’s why you couldn’t see Him.”
Sheep.
A bear.
A lion.
David.
God.
She put it all together.
“Are you David from the Bible?”
“From the what?”
“The Bible.”
David looked at her and considered her words. “I’m not familiar with this Bible you mention. But, like I said, the Lord is my shepherd. He helps me through every problem. When the bear and lion came for my flock, I knew that God would give me the courage to protect what He has entrusted to me. He is my rod and my staff.”
“Yes! You’re David from the Bible! You said those exact words about God being your shepherd in Psalm twenty-three.” Wren sat on her bottom and slid down off the boulder. “I can’t believe this! How is this possible?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
How did I get back to Bible times?
Where did Kansas go?
“David, have you heard of a place called Kansas?”
The young shepherd shook his head.
Wren thought about the Bible story. “Are we in Bethlehem?”
David’s eyes grew wide. “Yes.”
How on earth is this happening?
“I’m from a place called Kansas. It’s a state in the United States. I don’t know how I got here, but this is so cool. Getting to meet you is awesome!”
“I’m glad to meet you too, Wren. Your clothes are…not like mine.”
She looked down at her outfit. Of course, what she had on would seem crazy to David. A lot of time had passed between this Bible story and 2019!
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. But how did you do it?”
“Do what?” David asked.
“The bear and the lion. How did you save the sheep?”
The young man didn’t hesitate. “The Lord rescued me. I didn’t doubt that He would, so I ran after the bear. If I doubted God was with me, it would do me no good, and the sheep would have perished.”
Wren stared at David like he was some superhero from one of the gazillion Marvel movies. His confidence, given the stress of the situation, was insane. “How did you get the sheep away from the bear and lion? I’d think they’d drop the sheep and eat you instead.”
“When I went after the bear, I struck it on the side with my staff. When it turned on me, I shoved my hand in its mouth and pulled on its tongue so hard I thought it would rip right out of its mouth. I did the same thing with the lion.”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“And that’s how I got the sheep out of their mouths. But I must hurry. My father asked me to take provisions to my brothers who are with the Israelite army. Will you come with me?”
Wren didn’t have to think about that question.
“Sure!”