Grains of Sand

Pixabay, Public Domain If you are like me you would recite Psalm 23:2 this way: “ He makes me lie down in green pastures .” Not yet. Here’s where we need to stop: “ He makes me lie down…. ” Don Baker writes: “ Sheep are totally ignorant of their own limitations ” ( The Way of the Shepherd ) and then goes on to say that sometimes the shepherd has to force his sheep to rest because they don't know know enough to do it on their own. If we apply this particular characteristic of our divine Shepherd to our human shepherds, or pastors, I don’t recall too many of them who have ever actually told their “sheep” to rest. More likely they are constantly encouraging their congregants to get involved, work harder, volunteer, get busy with kingdom business. What a novel idea to be told to rest, even forced to rest! Now I am not suggesting that all of us “sheep” should put up our hooves and lounge around on the grassy slopes of our favourite sheep spas. But some of us need to lear...

Pixabay (Public Domain) The Lord is MY Shepherd Self-absorption is characteristic of present day civilization. There was a time when it was more common among young children to whom everything was “mine,” but in a world of selfies and personal rights, it seems like even adults consider everything “mine.” That makes Psalm 23:1 something that should appeal to a self-absorbed world: “ The Lord is MY shepherd .” He is not A shepherd, one of many. He is not THE shepherd, an impersonal one. He is MY shepherd. In a self-absorbed world we often picture this as us standing up to our enemies, our troubles, our needs with “big brother” standing behind us to support us. We are the centre of our universe, the core around which everything swirls and He hangs around to back up our play. We are the “knights in shining armour” while He plays the squire holding the weaponry. But the psalmist isn’t puffing out his chest and warning his enemies off because he’s got a secret weapon at his disposal. Dav...

Pixabay (Public Domain) The LORD is my Shepherd Of all the occupations to choose as a way to illustrate His character, God chose to be likened to a shepherd. Shepherds were not exactly the upper crust of society. In fact, they were pretty much the lowest of the low. Remember the story of Israel (aka Jacob) coming to live in Egypt? Joseph told his father that when the Pharaoh asked him what he did to sustain life he was to emphasize that they were shepherds. That was a guarantee that Pharaoh would settle them as far away from the Egyptians as possible. The Egyptians despised shepherds. But the Highest of the high chose to be named as a shepherd. The God of the universe walks the earth with staff in hand to look after the interests of His band of sheep. But He relinquishes nothing in this move to the lowliest of occupations. He is always God. His is always all-powerful, always all-knowing, always present everywhere. He doesn’t need naps, or lunch breaks, or vacations, or assistance....

Google Images I have an old framed picture left over from my parents’ day that depicts the old English countryside. Coming up the path in front of a thatched-roofed cottage is a shepherd with a flock of sheep. Contrary to popular notion, the shepherd is walking in front of the flock. He isn’t driving them from behind, he is leading from the front. As I read Matthew 4 this morning, I looked closely at verses 18 to 22 which detail the calling of the first disciples. Jesus encounters a group of fishermen working along the shores of Lake Galilee. He says to them: “‘ Come follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people ” (vs. 19). The next verse tells us that they immediately left what they were doing to follow Jesus. This process is repeated with another pair of fishermen just a little while later. A good shepherd leads. A good disciple follows. Obedience is immediate. In John 10, the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep is described in great detail. We are...

Google Images Most of us loved to be stroked. We appreciate people who agree with our opinions, do what we ask of them, and don’t challenge us. When faced by some real or imaginary threat, we follow the old western model and “circle the wagons” with the “good guys” (the ones who stroke us) gathered around us ready to repel the “bad guys” (the ones who challenge us). It’s not a good plan, certainly not a Biblical one. And in spiritual leaders it’s a heinous crime, an affront to all that Jesus taught. Paul, preaching to the believers in Ephesus, remarked: “ Keep watch over yourselves and all of the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood ” (Acts 20:28, NIV). He then goes on to say that it is the wolves who come in and destroy the sheep, and distort the truth (20:29). But it is Paul’s statement in verse 28 that needs to be etched in the minds and on the hearts of all those who would call themselves ov...