Time to Celebrate

I remember years ago when our oldest daughter was just a toddler we had bands of sheep across the road in the fields. I would walk her across the road and she would watch the sheep.

My husband grew up with sheep herders and had the opportunity to watch their ways. Interesting people. One man with several working dogs could control a large band of sheep – protecting them and moving them from one field to another.

Shepherds care for their sheep. They live with them in the field. They don’t abandon them. They protect them personally and then leave the dogs with them to keep them safe from predators in the night.

The shepherd makes sure they have plenty of grass in the pasture and when it is eaten down they move the sheep on to the next field. Shepherds also make sure their flocks have plenty of water. They pay close attention to the weak and injured; nursing their wounds and seeing that they aren’t picked on by the stronger rams.

I have a good shepherd. He loves me, He cares for me, He feeds and protects me and He searches for me if I get lost and He brings me back to His fold!

Jesus said: I tell you for certain that only thieves and robbers climb over the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen. 2-3 But the gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep know their shepherd’s voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out.

4 When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice. 5 The sheep will not follow strangers. They don’t recognize a stranger’s voice, and they run away…

7 Jesus said: I tell you for certain that I am the gate for the sheep. 8 Everyone who came before me was a thief or a robber, and the sheep did not listen to any of them. 9 I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture.

10 A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest. 11 I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. 12 Hired workers are not like the shepherd…

14 I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. 15 Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them together too, when they hear my voice. Then there will be one flock of sheep and one shepherd.” John 10:1-16 CEV

“Then Jesus told them this story: 4 If any of you has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will you do? Won’t you leave the ninety-nine in the field and go look for the lost sheep until you find it? 5 And when you find it, you will be so glad that you will put it on your shoulder 6 and carry it home. Then you will call in your friends and neighbors and say, ‘Let’s celebrate! I’ve found my lost sheep.’” Luke 15:3-6 CEV

I am a loved sheep -> lost but now I’m found. It’s time to celebrate the Shepherd’s great love!!

Lagging Behind

Yesterday I had two different conversations with friends about following the Lord’s lead and not worrying about the things we can’t change.

One is selling her home and she said, “I know God has a buyer so I’m not going to worry about it. I’ll just do what I can and be ready for the move.”

With the other we were talking about life in general and our trust in the Lord to take care of us each and every day. Even when the electric is out and the washing machine dies.

The Lord refers to us as “the sheep of His pasture”. A good Shepherd will keep is sheep moving together, none running ahead, where they could face unforeseen danger and none lagging behind.

lag behind: To fail to maintain the pace or progress of someone or something; straggle”

Stragglers are susceptible to attack. When moving sheep from one pasture to another, the Shepherd will lead and he usually has 2 or 3 good dogs working with him to keep the flock moving in a forward motion.

I consider some of our preachers to be like these sheep dogs. They bark a little and even nip at our heels but their job is to keep us in step with the shepherd.

This morning, I was reading some of Paul’s admonitions, barking if you will, to us as followers of Christ.

“Always be humble and gentle. Be patient and accept each other with love. You are joined together with peace through the Spirit. Do all you can to continue as you are, letting peace hold you together…17 I have something from the Lord to tell you. I warn you: Don’t continue living like those who don’t believe. Their thoughts are worth nothing. 18 They have no understanding, and they know nothing because they refuse to listen. So they cannot have the life that God gives. 19 They have lost their feeling of shame and use their lives to do what is morally wrong. More and more they want to do all kinds of evil. 20 But that way of life is nothing like what you learned when you came to know Christ. 21 I know that you heard about him, and in him you were taught the truth. Yes, the truth is in Jesus.” Ephesians 4:2,3, 17-21 ERV

Sometimes, in our eagerness we run out ahead of God and try to “do” things for Him. At other times, we resist His leading and lag behind. I had one pastor friend who often said, “I never try to work for God. I always want to work with Him”.

My encouragement today is don’t run ahead or lag behind; follow close to the Shepherd. He has us headed for greener pastures.