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“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, John 10:14 (NLT)
I’m not a farmer. I enjoy the country. I have several friends who are farmers. I live in great farm country. But I’m not a farmer. So I may be about to show some of my naivety but to me, all sheep look alike. I know, I know. I’ve been on farms where the sheep are named, some of the chickens are named, the cows are named. But to me they all look pretty much alike. Especially sheep.
Tradition says that in Jesus’ day shepherds would take their flocks into the hills to eat. At some times of the year they may gather flocks together for the night. This was a great idea. Multiple shepherds could keep the sheep safer from attack, allow the shepherds to take turns standing guard, and give them opportunity for company. Being alone in the hills can be mighty lonely.
In the morning the sheep were divided up. The shepherd knew his sheep (how I don’t know) and the sheep knew their shepherd (even more amazing to me since sheep aren’t known for their intelligence).
Imagine what it must have been like for a sheep to get up in the morning and try to figure out which one of the shepherds to follow. Their lives depended on the decision after all. The shepherd made sure they were fed well, led to quiet pastures, protected from thieves, natural calamity and wild animals. Shepherds that didn’t own the animals weren’t likely to take care of them very well.
When you think about it, life is a lot like that today. We have all sorts of voices telling us to follow this cause or that cause. Politicians telling us we need more programs and more taxes or less programs and less taxes. Religionists telling us we need to stand firm in our beliefs or that we need to be more tolerant of all beliefs. Back and forth it goes. Voices calling out to your heart to go this way or that way to find the relief you are looking for.
Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd. What does a Good Shepherd look like?
- A Good Shepherd will never compromise the wishes of the owner. He’ll not lead you in a way that is contrary to what God’s Word says. There are no ‘new revelations’ Does God still speak? Yes. But his words will never compromise the Holy Scriptures we already have.
- A Good Shepherd will never compromise the safety of the sheep. There may be times when we go through dangerous times. Times when the enemy will be lurking, waiting to attack. But our Good Shepherd will never lead us there and leave us there. His protection lasts forever.
- A Good Shepherd will never ask the sheep to compromise their Holiness. We are referred to as the sheep of his pasture. Temptations will come our way. There will be times when those things put before us seem like God’s leading, but are directly opposed to scripture. Holiness is based on God’s sinless plan for our lives. We will never be sinless this side of heaven, but we should always strive to do so.
Perhaps one of the most stunning things about our Good Shepherd is that he will go to extraordinary measures to draw us to himself. I heard a story once. I haven’t been able to verify it, but it goes something like this. If a lamb continued to stray from the flock, as a last resort the shepherd would gently break the leg of the wayward lamb and then set it. As the leg healed the lamb was carried by the Shepherd. The result? The healing of the lamb’s leg also caused a bond to the shepherd’s heart. That lamb, once healed, would never stray again.
The word picture is an amazing reminder that Jesus will do whatever needs to be done to draw us to his close, loving, gracious and merciful arms.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I thank you that during these uncertain times I can know you will lead me in paths for my own good and God’s glory. Give me wisdom to discern your voice and strength to follow. Amen.
He took away your pride when he let you get hungry, and then he fed you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had ever seen. This was to teach you that a person does not live on bread alone, but by everything the Lord says. Deuteronomy 8:3 (NCV)
Imagine what it must have been like being ripped away from everything you’d ever known. Sure, it wasn’t a perfect situation. The environment was getting more hostile all the time, abuse and murder were becoming common. But at least you had great food, a warm bed to sleep in and a relatively good idea of what tomorrow would be like.
Now, every day is an adventure. Sure, the first few days were okay, even exciting. But the excitement has worn off, patience has worn thin and you can’t bear the thought of one more night in that tent! The beauty of your surroundings has been replaced by wilderness. Not just physically, spiritually too.
This was the plight of those leavingEgyptfor the Promised Land. They were yanked from a situation that was dangerous, yet predictable; secure, yet confining; familiar, although they were foreigners in a far off land.
The wilderness wanderings of God’s people are a beautiful love story of grace. While inEgyptthey were not forgotten. The worse things got for them, the more they called out to a God they barely knew. The beauty of it all is that he heard their cries and delivered them from their enemy.
But deliverance never comes without struggle. Those who struggle with addictive behaviors; are trapped in abusive relationships; are struggling with illness or financial disaster will tell you that. Deliverance doesn’t mean you get to waltz gracefully from imprisonment to freedom without some struggle. The enemy doesn’t give up that easily.
Stuck away in the story of the wilderness wanderings is the story of manna. The story of God’s provision. The story of giving just what each person needs at the time it’s needed.
Manna appeared daily on the floor of the wilderness. It was new every morning to remind the Israelites that God’s love was new every morning as well. Each day was a fresh start.
Manna taught God’s people that yesterday’s failures and victories were to be left behind. Each day was a new chance to see God’s work. In fact, if you tucked manna (your past) away for later use it turned rotten! Yesterday is gone. Today is a new day of God’s grace.
Manna met each persons need individually. Those who gathered too little found that the amount they gathered was just enough for the end of the day. Those who gathered much found that the excess was gone by the end of the day.
Manna, like grace, was personal. I get what I need from God. You get what you need from God. There were no rules, no discussion on who gets what or why. Manna was available to the ‘good, God fearing Israelite’ as well as the rebellious and struggling one. Just as grace through Jesus Christ is available to all regardless of their situation.
With Jesus there is no lack.
There was, of course, a downside to manna, just as there is grace. Not a flaw in grace itself, but a flaw in human thinking. God’s provision was essential for their survival. Yet, soon the Israelites were complaining about manna. They began to take God’s provision for granted. May we never take the grace he’s given for granted. May we never forget the price paid for our freedom: the death of Jesus for our sins.
PRAYER: Father, thank you for the lesson of manna. Help me to see your new provision every day of my life. May your grace always inspire me to live with hope and expectation for what you have for me. Amen.
But to all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 (NCV)
Several years ago some friends of mine adopted a child from a foreign country. As they neared the top of the waiting list they were told by the host country that they’d have 48 hours to arrive at the orphanage once their names ‘were up’. In a sense everything was on hold in their lives knowing that at any moment they would be hopping on a jet plane and flying around the world to meet their new infant.
In talking with the prospective father he told me how excited, nervous and scared he was…all at the same time. Even though they had three children of their own, the excitement of being able to share their love and family stability with this new little life was ‘a chance of a life time.’
I’d forgotten that conversation until recently, when I ran across John 1:12. ‘We’ve been given the right to become children of God.’ Take time to think about what being adopted means in the life of an orphan. They have, for whatever reason has lost parents and family and everything that was stability to them.
- There’s the waiting game. Every day seeing other children meeting ‘new people’ who take them away to a new life;
- Depending on how long they’ve been an orphan, they may have no concept of parents or family;
- Many are victims of some sort of tragedy or trauma;
- Most are lonely. Even though the orphanage or foster parents may do their best to offer comfort, there is no comfort like the comfort of the loving arms of mom and dad.
- They lack positive role models. People who are in their lives consistently, offering love, stability and direction;
- They have no real understanding of a relationship built on love for the reason of love alone;
- They don’t have any cheerleaders in their lives. No one to give them a ‘high-five’ and encourage them when the going gets tough. No one to celebrate their victories or stand by them in defeat.
- Even after adoption some struggle with the fear that these ‘new parents’ will abandon them.
You may be able to think of other struggles of someone who’s lived the life of an orphan. Now imagine that day when someone walks through that door, looks you straight in the eyes and says, “I choose you. For better or worse, with all your faults, for all time.” Imagine the joy and relief to think you’ve been chosen.
Each and everyone one of us has, to some degree, felt the pain of an orphan. The loneliness, the failure, the desire for someone to come alongside us when we are afraid, we’ve failed, we are sick or lonely. Our Heavenly Father came into our lives, scooped us up in his mighty, powerful and gentle arms, looked us straight in the eyes and said, “I choose you. Period.” It was nothing you did. There was nothing you that made you deserve this love. There is nothing that can take this love from you.
Your heavenly Father is someone you can count on to be there when you are lonely, be your cheerleader in victory or defeat, and to guide you through the rough and tumble journey of life.
PRAYER: Father God. Daddy. Thank you for loving me when I’m unlovely, for supporting me when I fail, encouraging me when I struggle to go on. Thank you for choosing me to be your child. Amen.
O Lord, what great works you do! And how deep are your thoughts. Psalm 92:5 (NLT)
We think in the present. God’s thoughts are on the future.
We think of today, God thinks about eternity.
We measure life by where we are, God measures life by where we are going.
Our actions are often based on our past experiences, God’s actions are based on his power.
Our wisdom is limited by our humanity, God’s wisdom planned every day of every person for all eternity.
We seek fulfillment on what we can do for others (even God) he seeks to fulfill us through what he’s already done for us.
We strive to be better today than we were yesterday, God says “I’ve already made you everything I desire.”
We see illness as something to conquer, God sees illness as an opportunity to show his healing.
We see healing as absence of illness, God sees illness as absence of worry.
We observe our sin and feel guilt, God observes our sin and offers forgiveness.
We remember the wrongs suffered, God lays our faults at the cross and never looks back.
We live to please others, God exists to serve us.
We see unfaithfulness as a relationship breaker, God sees unfaithfulness and begs our return.
We rebel at his standards, God watched his Son die to meet those standards for you.
“O Lord, what great works you do!”
During those times when God seems distant, remember that his thoughts are on our growing, not our comfort. His goal is not our earthly comfort but our eternal reward. His desire is for a stronger relationship with him, not our own popularity. Our finite minds are not able to comprehend all that God has planned. He knows what is best for us.
PRAYER: O Great and Mighty Creator of the Universe! To think that will all of your power and wisdom you would even consider me. To think that someone as mighty as you allows me to call you Daddy. I don’t always understand your ways, but I praise you for the love you have given me. In your name, Amen.
Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Psalm 32:5 (NLT)
Finally. It’s a little word filled with relief when the fever of a small child finally breaks. It’s a word filled with hope when the gentle, prolonged rain falls on drought stricken land. It’s a word filled with comfort when a loved one returns home from battle or a long journey. Finally means many things to each of us and usually those feelings are feelings that bring a sigh to our hearts.
When David wrote this Psalm he recounts the agony he endured as he lived a life of sin. The double standard that he followed robbed him of his sleep, took away his appetite, and even caused physical pain and agony deep inside his joints. He was a hurting man in need of relief…finally.
Finally he finds the relief he sought. Finally-after holding it in for so long; after all the pain he endured; after living with the fear of being ‘caught’; after the sleepless nights. Finally he found relief.
Isn’t that the way it is with sin, especially for those of us that are Christ-followers? We visit the websites we know are displeasing to our Lord Jesus. We harbor the bitterness and anger of wrongs done to us. We relive the past mistakes we’ve made. We continue to live the lie in order to hide our sin.
Finally, King David got honest with himself, and God. Notice his confession wasn’t to people, not at first anyway. His sin was first and foremost against his God and that is where his confession was directed. He stopped the lies. He admitted his open rebellion, and, as a result found release from the guild he’d been harboring for a long, long time.
When he finally came to the point of confession David didn’t find a God who was intent on punishment, rage or anger. He found a God of forgiveness, grace and mercy. He found a God that was more than willing to remove the guilt he bore for so long. The guilt that caused the feelings of failure in his life. The guilt that fueled the feelings of remorse, anger and frustration. This God of love and grace didn’t just remove the penalty for his sin. He wiped out the guilt.
Many of us still deal with guilt in our lives. Getting rid of guilt simply requires confession on our part to a loving, gracious God. The enemy of your soul will tell you there is more, but you simply need to point to the cross and claim the promise of forgiveness though Jesus. His death and resurrection wipes out your guilt once and for all…finally.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I’ve been enduring the pain of guilt of a long time. I’m tired of the pain, the sleepless nights, the fear of being ‘found out’. I confess my sin to you right now. Cleanse me of my guilt and empower me to do what needs to be done to resolve any wrongs I’ve done to others. Thank you for your mercy, grace and forgiveness. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 