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I've Been Thinking... 
Who Calls Your Name?
We all know that Jesus refers to himself as our Shepherd many times in scripture. It's an interesting analogy, isn't it? He is our Lord and Savior; but he is also the Great Shepherd.
I don't think it's so unusual. After all, it's an analogy that would have meant a lot to those who first heard the gospel. People of Jesus' day were well acquainted with the work of a shepherd.
Beyond that, it really gets interesting. I'm talking about all those times in scripture - both Old and New Testament - when we are compared to the lowly sheep. Ouch. (Just look at you up there. Aren't you cute?) In fact, the references to Jesus as the Shepherd and us as the sheep are all over the Bible.
Philip Keller, author of A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, tells us that the key to understanding a shepherd is to understand the nature of sheep. He writes in his book that sheep are "dependent, dumb, defenseless, directionless, and easily distracted." Hmmm. Does that sound like anyone you know? (Now, in the privacy of your own home, this is your chance to come clean and raise your hand!)
"OKAY!" you say in a moment of self-truth. "Now I get the analogy."
Apparently when a sheep grazes he moves with his head down, taking small steps as he follows the food. Taking a little nibble here and a little nibble there, he moves further and further away from the safety of the fold. When he finally looks up he is lost. Worse yet, he can't find his way home. (Does this still sound like someone you know?) Unlike some animals, a sheep has no homing device. He has to be sought by the loving shepherd and brought back to the fold.
Or he has to hear his shepherd's voice.
It is said that in Jesus' day the sheep were brought together for the night, often into a makeshift pen. Besides having no homing device, I guess sheep don't have very good eyesight either, so in the morning their shepherd would walk among them, softly talking to them. They would recognize his voice and follow him to the green pastures for the day. They had to stay very close to him and listen for his voice so they didn't lag behind or get lost.
In John Chapter 10 Jesus lets us know that we can count on his voice: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me..." He continues by telling us a little bit about his heart and care toward us: "...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
Friends, we all, like sheep, have gone astray. We all need a shepherd. That's a fact, and greater men than me have had no trouble with the analogy.
As for me? I will rejoice along with King David in Psalm 100: "It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture."
I'm happy to be a sheep in his pasture - a treasured sheep of his hand.
Baa-aa,
Greg
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Sunday, October 2: We meet once again at Margie's House, 10:30 AM, for fellowship, teaching and prayer. Call Margie for directions at 623-363-8773.
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Monday, October 3: Whispers From the Word, Part II God has provided us a "wealth of whispers" through his Word. We need to have them right at our fingertips - nay, in our minds and hearts - so we know them and can access them in a moment. It was a good time last Monday night as we shared scriptures for every situation. Come back for Part II.
Peace Lutheran Church, 18265 North 89th Ave., Peoria 85382 (two blocks south of Union Hills on 89th Ave.) Class begins at 7:15 PM.
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Prayer Request: This past Tuesday we began our Fall grief recovery workshop at Peace Lutheran Church. It's a large class. We ask for your prayers for those who participate in the class and for those who are leading it.
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Empowering People for Faith ~ Equipping People for Life ~ Helping People Heal
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