It is will great please I produce for you this wonderfully
written book by a real life Shepherd. Keller has a way of getting
to your heart strings while bringing out the facts of
shepherding sheep. You will never read Psalm 23 quite the way you
did before, after you read it from a Shepherd's understanding and
perspective - Keith Hunt
A SHEPHERD LOOKS AT PSALM 23
by Phillip Keller
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
THE LORD! BUT who is the Lord? What is His character? Does
He have adequate credentials to be my Shepherd - my manager - my
owner?
And if He does - how do I come under His control? In what
way do I become the object of His concern and diligent care?
These are penetrating, searching questions and they deserve
honest and basic examination.
One of the calamities of Christianity is our tendency to
talk in ambiguous generalities.
David, the author of the poem, himself a shepherd, and the
son of a shepherd, later to be known as the "Shepherd King" of
Israel, stated explicitly, "The Lord is my Shepherd." To whom did
he refer? He referred to Jehovah, the Lord God of Israel.
His statement was confirmed by Jesus the Christ.
When He was God incarnate amongst men, He declared
emphatically, "I am the good Shepherd."
But who was this Christ?
Our view of Him is often too small - too cramped - too
provincial - too human. And because it is we feel unwilling to
allow Him to have authority or control - much less outright
ownership of our lives.
He it was who was directly responsible for the creation of
all things both natural and supernatural (see Colossians
1:15-20). If we pause to reflect on the person of Christ - on His
power and upon His achievements - suddenly like David we will be
glad to state proudly, "The Lord - He is my Shepherd!"
But before we do this it helps to hold clearly in mind the
particular part played upon our history by God the Father, God
the Son ....
God the Father is God the author - the originator of all
that exists. It was in His mind, first, that all took shape.
God the Son, our Saviour, is God the artisan - the artist, the
Creator of all that exists. He brought into being all that had
been originally formulated in His Father's mind.....
Now the beautiful relationships given to us repeatedly in
Scripture between God and man are those of a father to his
children and a shepherd to his sheep. These concepts were first
conceived in the mind of God our Father. They were made possible
and practical through the work of Christ. They are confirmed and
made real in me through the agency of the gracious Holy Spirit.
So when the simple - though sublime - statement is made by a
man or woman that "The Lord is my Shepherd," it immediately
implies a profound yet practical working relationship between a
human being and his Maker.
It links a lump of common clay to divine destiny - it means
a mere mortal becomes the cherished object of divine diligence.
This thought alone should stir my spirit, quicken my own sense of
awareness, and lend enormous dignity to myself as an individual.
To think that God in Christ is deeply concerned about me as a
particular person immediately gives great purpose and enormous
meaning to my short sojourn upon this planet.
And the greater, the wider, the more majestic my concept is
of the Christ - the more vital will be my relationship to Him.
Obviously, David, in this Psalm, is speaking not as the
shepherd, though he was one, but as a sheep; one of the flock. He
spoke with a strong sense of pride and devotion and admiration.
It was as though he literally boasted aloud, "Look at who my
shepherd is - my owner - my manager!" The Lord is! After all, he
knew from firsthand experience that the lot in life of any
particular sheep depended on the type of man who owned it. Some
men were gentle, kind, intelligent, brave and selfless in
their devotion to their stock. Under one man sheep would
struggle, starve and suffer endless hardship. In another's care
they would flourish and thrive contentedly.
So if the Lord is my Shepherd I should know something of His
character and understand something of His ability.
To meditate on this I frequently go out at night to walk
alone under the stars and remind myself of His majesty and might.
Looking up at the star-studded sky I remember that at least
250,000,000 x 250,000,000 such bodies - each larger than our sun,
one of the smallest of the stars, have been scattered across the
vast spaces of the universe by His hand. I recall that the planet
earth, which is my temporary home for a few short years, is so
minute a speck of matter in space that if it were possible to
transport our most powerful telescope to our nearest neighbor
star, Alpha Centauri, and look back this way, the earth could not
be seen, even with the aid of that powerful instrument.
All this is a bit humbling. It drains the "ego" from a man
and puts things in proper perspective. It makes me see myself as
a mere mite of material in an enormous universe. Yet the
staggering fact remains that Christ the Creator of such an
enormous universe of overwhelming magnitude, deigns to call
Himself my Shepherd and invites me to consider myself His sheep -
His special object of affection and attention. Who better could
care for me?
By the same sort of process I stoop down and pick up a
handful of soil from the backyard or roadside. Placing it under
an electron microscope I am astounded to discover it teems with
billions upon billions of micro-organisms. Many of them are so
complex in their own peculiar cellular structure that even a
fraction of their functions in the earth are not yet properly
understood.
Yes, He the Christ - the Son of God brought all of this into
being. From the most gigantic galaxy to the most minute microbe
all function flawlessly in accordance with definite laws of order
and unity which are utterly beyond the mind of finite man to
master. It is in this sense, first of all, that I am basically
bound to admit that His ownership of me as a human being is
legitimate - simply because it is He who brought me into being
and no one is better able to understand or care for me.
I belong to Him simply because He deliberately chose to
create me as the object of His own affection.
It is patently clear that most men and women refuse to
acknowledge this fact. Their deliberate attempts to deny that
such a relationship even exists or could exist between a man and
his Maker demonstrate their abhorrence for admitting that anyone
really can claim ownership or authority over them by virtue of
bringing them into being.
This was of course the enormous "risk" or "calculated
chance," if we may use the term, which God took in making man
initially. But in His usual magnanimous manner He took the second
step in attempting to restore this relationship which is
repeatedly breached by men who turn their backs upon Him.
Again in Christ He demonstrated at Calvary the deep desire
of His heart to have men come under His benevolent care. He
Himself absorbed the penalty for their perverseness, stating
clearly that "all we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned
every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him the
iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).
Thus, in a second very real and vital sense I truly belong
to Him simply because He has bought me again at the incredible
price of His own laid-down life and shed blood.
Therefore He was entitled to say, "I am the Good Shepherd,
the Good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."
So there remains the moving realization that we have been
bought with a price, that we are really not our own and He is
well within His rights to lay claim upon our lives.
I recall quite clearly how in my first venture with sheep,
the question of paying a price for my ewes was so terribly
important. They belonged to me only by virtue of the fact that I
paid hard cash for them. It was money earned by the blood and
sweat and tears drawn from my own body during the desperate
grinding years of the depression. And when I bought that first
small flock I was buying them literally with my own body which
had been laid down with this day in mind.
Because of this I felt in a special way that they were in
very truth a part of me and I a part of them. There was an
intimate identity involved which though not apparent on the
surface to the casual observer, nonetheless made those thirty
ewes exceedingly precious to me.
But the day I bought them I also realized that this was but
the first stage in a long, lasting endeavor in which from then
on, I would, as their owner, have to continually lay down my life
for them, if they were to flourish and prosper. Sheep do not
"just take care of themselves" as some might suppose. They
require, more than any other class of livestock, endless
attention and meticulous care.
It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep. The
behavior of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways as
will be seen in further chapters. Our mass mind (or mob
instincts), our fears and timidity, our stubbornness and
stupidity, our perverse habits are all parallels of profound
importance.
Yet despite these adverse characteristics Christ chooses us,
buys us, calls us by name, makes us His own and delights in
caring for us.
It is this last aspect which is really the third reason why
we are under obligation to recognize His ownership of us. He
literally lays Himself out for us continually. He is ever
interceding for us; He is ever guiding us by His gracious Spirit;
He is ever working on our behalf to ensure that we will benefit
from His care.
In fact, Psalm 23 might well be called "David's Hymn of
Praise to Divine Diligence." For the entire poem goes on to
recount the manner in which the Good Shepherd spares no pains for
the welfare of His sheep.
Little wonder that the poet took pride in belonging to the
Good Shepherd. Why shouldn't he?
In memory I can still see one of the sheep ranches in our
district which was operated by a tenant sheepman. He ought never
to have been allowed to keep sheep. His stock were always thin,
weak and riddled with disease or parasites. Again and again they
would come and stand at the fence staring blankly through the
woven wire at the green lush pastures which my flock enjoyed. Had
they been able to speak I am sure they would have said, "Oh, to
be set free from this awful owner!"
This is a picture which has never left my memory. It is a
picture of pathetic people the world over who have not known what
it is to belong to the Good Shepherd ... who suffer instead under
sin and Satan.
How amazing it is that individual men and women vehemently
refuse and reject the claims of Christ on their lives. They fear
that to acknowledge His ownership is to come under the rule of a
tyrant.
This is difficult to comprehend when one pauses to consider
the character of Christ. Admittedly there have been many false
caricatures of this Person, but an unbiased look at His life
quickly reveals an individual of enormous compassion and
incredible integrity.
He was the most balanced and perhaps the most beloved being
ever to enter the society of men. Though born amid most
disgusting surroundings, the member of a modest working family,
He bore Himself always with great dignity and assurance. Though
He enjoyed no special advantages as a child, either in education
or employment, His entire philosophy and outlook on life were the
highest standards of human conduct ever set before mankind.
Though He had no vast economic assets, political power or
military might, no other person ever made such an enormous impact
on the world's history. Because of Him millions of people across
almost twenty centuries of time have come into a life of decency
and honor and noble conduct.
Not only was He gentle and tender and true but also
righteous, stern as steel, and terribly tough on phony people.
He was magnificent in His magnanimous spirit of forgiveness for
fallen folk but a terror to those who indulged in double talk or
false pretences.
He came to set men free from their own sins, their own
selves, their own fears. Those so liberated loved Him with fierce
loyalty. It is this One who insists that He was the Good
Shepherd, the understanding Shepherd, the concerned Shepherd who
cares enough to seek out and save and restore lost men and women.
He never hesitated to make it quite clear that when an individual
once came under His management and control there would be a
certain new and unique relationship between Him and them. There
would be something very special about belonging to this
particular Shepherd. There would be a distinct mark upon the man
or woman that differentiated them from the rest of the crowd.
The day I bought my first thirty ewes, my neighbor and I sat
on the dusty corral rails that enclosed the sheep pens and
admired the choice, strong, well-bred ewes that had become mine.
Turning to me he handed me a large, sharp, killing knife and
remarked tersely, "Well, Phillip, they're yours. Now you'll have
to put your mark on them."
I knew exactly what he meant. Each sheep-man has his own
distinctive earmark which he cuts into one or other of the ears
of his sheep. In this way, even at a distance, it is easy to
determine to whom the sheep belongs.
It was not the most pleasant procedure to catch each ewe in
turn and lay her ear on a wooden block then notch it deeply with
the razor-sharp edge of the knife. There was pain for both of us.
But from our mutual suffering an indelible lifelong mark of
ownership was made that could never be erased. And from then on
every sheep that came into my possession would bear my mark.
There is an exciting parallel to this in the Old Testament.
When a slave in any Hebrew household chose, of his own freewill,
to become a lifetime member of that home, he was subjected to a
certain ritual. His master and owner would take him to his door,
put his ear lobe against the door post and with an awl puncture a
hole through the ear. From then on he was a man marked for life
as belonging to that house.
For the man or woman who recognizes the claim of Christ and
gives allegiance to His absolute ownership, there comes the
question of bearing His mark. The mark of the cross is that which
should identify us with Himself for all time. The question is -
does it?
Jesus made it clear when He stated emphatically, "If any man
would be my disciple [follower] let him deny himself and take up
his cross daily and follow me."
Basically what it amounts to is this: A person exchanges the
fickle fortunes of living life by sheer whimsy for the more
productive and satisfying adventure of being guided by God.
It is a tragic truth that many people who really have never
come under His direction or management claim that "The Lord is my
Shepherd." They seem to hope that by merely admitting that He is
their Shepherd somehow they will enjoy the benefits of His care
and management without paying the price of forfeiting their own
fickle and foolish way of life.
One cannot have it both ways. Either we belong or we don't.
Jesus Himself warned us that there would come a day when many
would say, "Lord, in Your name we did many wonderful things," but
He will retort that He never knew us as His own.
It is a most serious and sobering thought which should make
us search our own hearts and motives and personal relationship to
Himself.
Do I really belong to Him?
Do I really recognize His right to me?
Do I respond to His authority and acknowledge His ownership?
Do I find freedom and complete fulfilment in this
arrangement?
Do I sense a purpose and deep contentment because I am under His
direction?
Do I know rest and repose, besides a definite sense of exciting
Adventure, in belonging to Him?
If so, then with genuine gratitude and exaltation I can
exclaim proudly, just as David did, "The Lord is my Shepherd!"
and I'm thrilled to belong to Him, for it is thus that I shall
flourish and thrive no matter what life may bring to me.
.................
To be continued
A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 I shall NOT want!
I SHALL NOT WANT
WHAT A PROUD, positive, bold statement to make! Obviously,
this is the sentiment of a sheep utterly satisfied with its
owner, perfectly content with its lot in life.
Since the Lord is my Shepherd, then I shall not want.
Actually the word "want" as used here, has a broader meaning than
might at first be imagined. No doubt the main concept is that of
not lacking - not deficient - in proper care, management or
husbandry.
But a second emphasis is the idea of being utterly contented
in the Good Shepherd's care and consequently not craving or
desiring anything more.
This may seem a strange statement for a man like David to
have made if we think in terms only of physical or material
needs. After all he had been hounded and harried repeatedly by
the forces of his enemy Saul as well as those of his own
estranged son Absalom. He was obviously a man who had known
intense privation: deep personal poverty, acute hardship, and
anguish of spirit.
Therefore it is absurd to assert on the basis of this
statement that the child of God, the sheep in the Shepherd's
care, will never experience lack or need.
It is imperative to keep a balanced view of the Christian
life. To do this it is well to consider the careers of men like
Elijah, John the Baptist, our Lord Himself - and even modern men
of faith such as Livingstone - to realize that all of them
experienced great personal privation and adversity.
When He was among us, the Great Shepherd Himself warned His
disciples before His departure for glory, that - "In this world
ye shall have tribulation - but be of good cheer - I have
overcome the world."
One of the fallacies that is common among Christians today
is t the assertion that if a man or woman is prospering
materially it is a significant mark of the blessing of God upon
their lives. This simply is not so.
Rather, in bold contrast we read in Revelation 3:17,
"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and
have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked . . ."
Or, in an equally pointed way, Jesus made clear to the rich
young ruler who wished to become His follower. "One thing thou
lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the
poor ... and come ... follow me" (Mark 10:21).
Based on the teachings of the Bible we can only conclude
that David was not referring to material or physical poverty when
he made the statement, "I shall not want."
For this very reason the Christian has to take a long, hard
look at life. He has to recognize that as with many of God's
choice people before him, he may be called on to experience lack
of wealth or material benefits. He has to see his sojourn upon
the planet as a brief interlude during which there may well be
some privation in a physical sense. Yet amid such hardship he can
still boast, "I shall not want ... I shall not lack the expert
care and management of my Master."
To grasp the inner significance of this simple statement it
is necessary to understand the difference between belonging to
one master or another - to the Good Shepherd or to an imposter.
Jesus Himself took great pains to point out to anyone who
contemplated following Him that it was quite impossible to serve
two masters. One belonged either to Him or to another.
When all is said and done the welfare of any flock is
entirely dependent upon the management afforded them by their
owner. The tenant sheepman on the farm next to my first ranch was
the most indifferent manager I had ever met. He was not concerned
about the condition of his sheep. His land was neglected. He gave
little or no time to his flock, letting them pretty well forage
for themselves as best they could, both summer and winter. They
fell prey to dogs, cougars and rustlers.
Every year these poor creatures were forced to gnaw away at
bare brown fields and impoverished pastures. Every winter there
was a shortage of nourishing hay and wholesome grain to feed the
hungry ewes. Shelter to safeguard and protect the suffering sheep
from storms and blizzards was scanty and inadequate. They had
only polluted, muddy water to drink. There had been a lack of
salt and other trace minerals needed to offset their sickly
pastures. In their thin, weak and diseased condition these poor
sheep were a pathetic sight.
In my mind's eye I can still see them standing at the fence,
huddled sadly in little knots, staring wistfully through the
wires at the rich pastures on the other side.
To all their distress, the heartless, selfish owner seemed
utterly callous and indifferent. He simply did not care. What if
his sheep did want green grass; fresh water; shade; safety or
shelter from the storms? What if they did want relief from
wounds, bruises, disease and parasites?
He ignored their needs - he couldn't care less. Why should
he, they were just sheep--fit only for the slaughterhouse.
I never looked at those poor sheep without an acute
awareness that this was a precise picture of those wretched old
taskmasters, Sin and Satan, on their derelict ranch - scoffing at
the plight of those within their power.
(Today, a person so neglecting their service to animals can be
reported and have the authorities come and take them away from
such inhumane treatment. Even imposing fines for cruelty to
animals - Keith Hunt).
As I have moved among men and women from all strata of
society as both a lay pastor and as a scientist I have become
increasingly aware of one thing. It is the boss - the manager -
the Master in people's lives who makes the difference in their
destiny. I have known some of the wealthiest men on this
continent intimately - also some of the leading scientists and
professional people. Despite their dazzling outward show of
success, despite their affluence and their prestige, they
remained poor in spirit, shrivelled in soul, and unhappy in life.
They were joyless people held in the iron grip and heartless
ownership of the wrong master.
By way of contrast, I have numerous friends among relatively
poor people - people who have known hardship, disaster and the
struggle to stay afloat financially. But because they belong to
Christ and have recognized Him as Lord and Master of their lives,
their owner and manager, they are permeated by a deep, quiet,
settled peace that is beautiful to behold.
It is indeed a delight to visit some of these humble homes
where men and women are rich in spirit, generous in heart, and
large of soul. They radiate a serene confidence and quiet joy
that surmounts all the tragedies of their time.
They are under God's care and they know it. They have
entrusted themselves to Christ's control and found contentment.
Contentment should be the hallmark of the man or woman who has
put his or her affairs in the hands of God. This especially
applies in our affluent age. But the outstanding paradox is the
intense fever of discontent among people who are ever speaking of
security.
Despite an unparalleled wealth in material assets we are
outstandingly insecure and unsure of ourselves and well nigh
bankrupt in spiritual values.
Always men are searching for safety beyond themselves. They
are restless, unsettled, covetous, greedy for more - wanting this
and that, yet never really satisfied in spirit.
By contrast the simple Christian, the humble person, the
Shepherd's sheep can stand up proudly and boast. "The Lord is my
Shepherd - I shall not want."
I am completely satisfied with His management of my life.
Why? Because He is the sheepman to whom no trouble is too great
as He cares for His flock. He is the rancher who is outstanding
because of His fondness for sheep - who loves them for their own
sake as well as His personal pleasure in them. He will, if
necessary, be on the job twenty-four hours a day to see that they
are properly provided for in every detail. Above all, He is very
jealous of His name and high reputation as "The Good Shepherd."
He is the owner who delights in His flock. For Him there is no
greater reward, no deeper satisfaction, than that of seeing His
sheep contented, well fed, safe and flourishing under His care.
This is indeed His very "life." He gives all He has to it. He
literally lays Himself out for those who are His.
He will go to no end of trouble and labor to supply them
with the finest grazing, the richest pasturage, ample winter
feed, and clean water. He will spare Himself no pains to provide
shelter from storms, protection from ruthless enemies and the
diseases and parasites to which sheep are so susceptible.
No wonder Jesus said, "I am the Good Shepherd - the Good
Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." And again "I am come
that ye might have life and that ye might have it more
abundantly."
From early dawn until late at night this utterly self-less
Shepherd is alert to the welfare of His flock. For the diligent
sheepman rises early and goes out first thing every morning
without fail to look over his flock. It is the initial, intimate
contact of the day. With a practiced, searching, sympathetic eye
he examines the sheep to see that they are fit and content and
able to be on their feet. In an instant he can tell if they have
been molested during the night, whether any are ill or if there
are some which require special attention.
Repeatedly throughout the day he casts his eye over the
flock to make sure that all is well.
Nor even at night is he oblivious to their needs. He sleeps
as it were "with one eye and both ears open" ready at the least
sign of trouble to leap up and protect his own.
This is a sublime picture of the care given to those whose
lives are under Christ's control. He knows all about their lives
from morning to night. "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us
with benefits - even the God of our salvation." "He that keepeth
thee will not slumber or sleep."
In spite of having such a master and owner, the fact remains
that some Christians are still not content with His control. They
are somewhat dissatisfied, always feeling that somehow the grass
beyond the fence must be a little greener. These are carnal
Christians - one might almost call them "fence crawlers" or "half
Christians" who want the best of both worlds.
I once owned an ewe whose conduct exactly typified this sort
of person. She was one of the most attractive sheep that ever
belonged to me. Her body was beautifully proportioned. She had a
strong constitution and an excellent coat of wool. Her head was
clean, alert, well-set with bright eyes. She bore sturdy lambs
that matured rapidly.
But in spite of all these attractive attributes she had one
pronounced fault. She was restless - discontented - a fence
crawler. So much so that I came to call her "Mrs.Gad-about."
This one ewe produced more problems for me than almost all the
rest of the flock combined. No matter what field or pasture the
sheep were in, she would search all along the fences or shoreline
(we lived by the sea) looking for a loophole she could crawl
through and start to feed on the other side.
It was not that she lacked pasturage. My fields were my joy
and delight. No sheep in the district had better grazing.
With "Mrs.Gad-about" it was an ingrained habit. She was
simply never contented with things as they were. Often when she
had forced her way through some such spot in a fence or found a
way around the end of the wire at low tide on the beaches, she
would end up feeding on bare, brown, burned-up pasturage of a
most inferior sort.
But she never learned her lesson and continued to fence
crawl time after time.
Now it would have been bad enough if she was the only one
who did this. It was a sufficient problem to find her and bring
her back. But the further point was that she taught her lambs the
same tricks. They simply followed her example and soon were as
skilled at escaping as their mother.
Even worse, however, was the example she set the other
sheep. In a short time she began to lead others through the same
holes and over the same dangerous paths down by the sea. After
putting up with her perverseness for a summer I finally came to
the conclusion that to save the rest of the flock from becoming
unsettled, she would have to go. I could not allow one obstinate,
discontented ewe to ruin the whole ranch operation. It was a
difficult decision to make, for I loved her in the same way I
loved the rest. Her strength and beauty and alertness were a
delight to the eye.
But one morning I took the killing knife in hand and
butchered her. Her career of fence crawling was cut short. It was
the only solution to the dilemma.
She was a sheep, who in spite of all that I had done to give
her the very best care - still wanted something else. She was not
like the one who said, "The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not
want."
It is a solemn warning to the carnal Christian - backslider
- the half-Christian - the one who wants the best of both worlds.
Sometimes in short order they can be cut down.
................
To be continued
A Shepherd looks at Psalm 23 Lying down in green Pastures
HE MAKES ME TO LIE
DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES
THE STRANGE THING about sheep is that because of their very
make-up it is almost impossible for them to be made to lie down
unless four requirements are met.
* Owing to their timidity they refuse to lie down unless they are
free of all fear.
* Because of the social behavior within a flock sheep will not
lie down unless they are free from friction with others of their
kind.
* If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down.
Only when free of these pests can they relax.
* Lastly, sheep will not lie down as long as they feel in need
of finding food. They must be free from hunger.
It is significant that to be at rest there must be a
definite sense of freedom from fear, tension, aggravations and
hunger. The unique aspect of the picture is that it is only the
sheepman himself who can provide release from these anxieties. It
all depends upon the diligence of the owner whether or not his
flock is free of disturbing influences.
When we examine each of these four factors that affect sheep
so severely we will understand why the part the owner plays in
their management is so tremendously important. It is actually he
who makes it possible for them to lie down, to rest, to relax, to
be content and quiet and flourishing.
A flock that is restless, discontented, always agitated and
disturbed never does well.
And the same is true of people.
It is not generally known that sheep are so timid and easily
panicked that even a stray jackrabbit suddenly bounding from
behind a bush can stampede a whole flock. When one startled sheep
runs in fright a dozen others will bolt with it in blind fear,
not waiting to see what frightened them.
One day a friend came to call on us from the city. She had a
tiny Pekingese pup along. As she opened the car door the pup
jumped out on the grass. Just one glimpse of the unexpected
little dog was enough. In sheer terror over 200 of my sheep which
were resting nearby leaped up and rushed off across the pasture.
As long as there is even the slightest suspicion of danger
from dogs, coyotes, cougars, bears or other enemies the sheep
stand up ready to flee for their lives. They have little or no
means of selfdefense. They are helpless, timid, feeble creatures
whose only recourse is to run.
When I invited friends to visit us, after the Pekingese
episode, I always made it clear their dogs were to be left at
home. I also had to drive off or shoot other stray dogs that came
to molest or disturb the sheep. Two dogs have been known to kill
as many as 292 sheep in a single night of unbridled slaughter.
Ewes, heavy in lamb, when chased by dogs or other predators will
slip their unborn lambs and lose them in abortions. A shepherd's
loss from such forays can be appalling. One morning at dawn I
found nine of my choicest ewes, all soon to lamb, lying dead in
the field where a cougar had harried the flock during the night.
It was a terrible shock to a young man like myself just new to
the business and unfamiliar with such attacks. From then on I
slept with a .303 rifle and flashlight by my bed. At the least
sound of the flock being disturbed I would leap from bed and
calling my faithful collie, dash out into the night, rifle in
hand, ready to protect my sheep.
In the course of time I came to realize that nothing so
quieted and reassured the sheep as to see me in the field. The
presence of their master and owner and protector put them at ease
as nothing else could do, and this applied day and night.
There was one summer when sheep rustling was a common
occurrence in our district. Night after night the dog and I were
out under the stars, keeping watch over the flock by night, ready
to defend them from the raids of any rustlers. The news of my
diligence spread along the grapevine of our back country roads
and the rustlers quickly decided to leave us alone and try their
tactics elsewhere.
"He maketh me to lie down."
In the Christian's life there is no substitute for the keen
awareness that my Shepherd is nearby. There is nothing like
Christ's presence to dispel the fear, the panic, the terror of
the unknown.
We live a most uncertain life. Any hour can bring disaster,
danger and distress from unknown quarters. Life is full of
hazards. No one can tell what a day will produce in new trouble.
We live either in a sense of anxiety, fear and foreboding, or in
a sense of quiet rest. Which is it?
Generally it is the "unknown," the "unexpected," that
produces the greatest panic. It is in the grip of fear that most
of us are unable to cope with the cruel circumstances and harsh
complexities of life. We feel they are foes which endanger our
tranquility. Often our first impulse is simply to get up and run
from them.
Then in the midst of our misfortunes there suddenly comes
the awareness that He, the Christ, the Good Shepherd is there. It
makes all the difference. His presence in the picture throws a
different light on the whole scene. Suddenly things are not half
so black nor nearly so terrifying. The outlook changes and there
is hope. I find myself delivered from fear. Rest returns and I
can relax.
This has come to me again and again as I grow older. It is
the knowledge that my Master, my Friend, my Owner has things
under control even when they may appear calamitous. This gives me
great consolation, repose, and rest. "Now I lay me down in peace
and sleep, for Thou God keepest me."
It is the special office work of God's gracious Spirit to
convey this sense of the Christ to our fearful hearts... quietly
to reassure us that Christ Himself is aware of our dilemma and
deeply involved in it with us.
And it is in fact in this assurance that we rest and relax.
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and
of love, and of a sound [disciplined] mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).
The idea of a sound mind is that of a mind at ease - at
peace - not perturbed or harassed or obsessed with fear and
foreboding for the future.
"I will both lay me down in peace and sleep: for thou, Lord, only
makest me dwell in safety."
The second source of fear from which the sheepman delivers
his sheep is that of tension, rivalry, and cruel competition
within the flock itself.
In every animal society there is established an order of
dominance or status within the group. In a penful of chickens it
is referred to as the "pecking order." With cattle it is called
the "horning order." Among sheep we speak of the "butting order."
Generally an arrogant, cunning and domineering old ewe will be
boss of any bunch of sheep. She maintains her position of
prestige by butting and driving other ewes or lambs away from the
best grazing or favorite bedgrounds. Succeeding her in precise
order the other sheep all establish and maintain their exact
position in the flock by using the same tactics of butting and
thrusting at those below and around them.
A vivid and accurate word picture of this process is given
to us in Ezekiel 34:15-16 and 20-22. This is a startling example,
in fact, of the scientific accuracy of the Scriptures in
describing a natural phenomenon.
Because of this rivalry, tension, and competition for status
and self-assertion, there is friction in a flock. The sheep
cannot lie down and rest in contentment. Always they must stand
up and defend their rights and contest the challenge of the
intruder.
Hundreds and hundreds of times I have watched an austere old
ewe walk up to a younger one which might have been feeding
contentedly or resting quietly in some sheltered spot. She would
arch her neck, tilt her head, dilate her eyes and approach the
other with a stiff-legged gait. All of this was saying in
unmistakable terms, "Move over! Out of my way! Give ground or
else!" And if the other ewe did not immediately leap to her feet
in self-defense she would be butted unmercifully. Or if she did
rise to accept the challenge one or two strong thrusts would soon
send her scurrying for safety.
This continuous conflict and jealousy within the flock can
be a most detrimental thing. The sheep become edgy, tense,
discontented and restless. They lose weight and become irritable.
But one point that always interested me very much was that
whenever I came into view and my presence attracted their
attention, the sheep quickly forgot their foolish rivalries and
stopped their fighting. The shepherd's presence made all the
difference in their behavior.
This, to me, has always been a graphic picture of the
struggle for status in human society. There is the eternal
competition "to keep up with the Joneses" or, as it is now - "to
keep up with the Joneses' kids."
In any business firm, any office, any family, any community,
any church, any human organization or group, be it large or
small, the struggle for self-assertion and self-recognition goes
on. Most of us fight to be "top sheep." We butt and quarrel and
compete to "get ahead." And in the process people are hurt.
It is here that much jealousy arises. This is where petty
peeves grow into horrible hate. It is where ill-will and contempt
come into being, the place where heated rivalry and deep
discontent is born. It is here that discontent gradually grows
into a covetous way of life where one has to be forever "standing
up" for himself, for his rights, "standing up" just to get ahead
of the crowd.
In contrast to this, the picture in the Psalm shows us God's
people lying down in quiet contentment.
One of the outstanding marks of a Christian should be a
serene sense of gentle contentment.
"Godliness with contentment is great gain."
Paul put it this way, "I have learned in whatsoever state I
am, therewith to be content," and certainly this applies to my
status in society.
The endless unrest generated in the individual who is always
trying to "get ahead" of the crowd, who is attempting always to
be top man or woman on the totem pole, is pretty formidable to
observe.
In His own unique way, Jesus Christ, the Great Shepherd, in
His earthly life pointed out that the last would be first and the
first last. In a sense I am sure He meant first in the area of
His own intimate affection. For any shepherd has great compassion
for the poor, weak sheep that get butted about by the more
domineering ones.
More than once I have strongly trounced a belligerent ewe
for abusing a weaker one. Or when they butted lambs not their own
I found it necessary to discipline them severely, and certainly
they were not first in my esteem for their aggressiveness.
Another point that impressed me, too, was that the less
aggressive sheep were often far more contented, quiet and
restful. So that there were definite advantages in being "bottom
sheep."
But more important was the fact that it was the Shepherd's
presence that put an end to all rivalry. And in our human
relationships when we become acutely aware of being in the
presence Of Christ, our foolish, selfish snobbery and rivalry
will end. It is the humble heart walking quietly and contentedly
in the close and intimate companionship of Christ that is at
rest, that can relax, simply glad to lie down and let the world
go by.
When my eyes are on my Master they are not on those around
me. This is the place of peace.
And it is good and proper to remind ourselves that in the
end it is He who will decide and judge what my status really is.
After all, it is His estimation of the that is of consequence.
Any human measurement at best is bound to be pretty un-
predictable, unreliable, and far from final. To be thus, close to
Him, conscious of His abiding presence, made real in my mind,
emotions and will by the indwelling gracious Spirit, is to be set
free from fear of my fellow man and whatever he might think of
me.
I would much rather have the affection of the Good Shepherd
than occupy a place of prominence in society... especially if I
had attained it by fighting, quarrelling and bitter rivalry with
my fellow human beings. "Blessed [happy, to be envied] are the
merciful: for they shall obtain mercy" (Matthew 5:7).
As is the case with freedom from fear of predators or
friction within the flock, the freedom of fear from the torment
of parasites and insects is essential to the contentment of
sheep. This aspect of their behavior will be dealt with in
greater detail later in the Psalm. But it is nevertheless
important to mention it here. Sheep, especially in the summer,
can be driven to absolute distraction by nasal flies, bot flies,
warble flies and ticks. When tormented by these pests it is
literally impossible for them to lie down and rest. Instead they
are up and on their feet, stamping their legs, shaking their
heads, ready to rush off into the bush for relief from the pests.
Only the diligent care of the owner who keeps a constant lookout
for these insects will prevent them from annoying his flock. A
good shepherd will apply various types of insect repellents to
his sheep. He will see that they are dipped to clear their
fleeces of ticks, And he will see that there are shelter belts of
trees and bush available where they can find refuge and release
from their tormentors.
This all entails considerable extra care. It takes time and
labor and expensive chemicals to do the job thoroughly. It means,
too, that the sheepman must be amongst his charges daily, keeping
a close watch on their behavior. As soon as there is the least
evidence that they are being disturbed he must take steps to
provide them with relief. Always uppermost in his mind is the aim
of keeping his flock quiet, contented and at peace.
Similarly in the Christian life there are bound to be many
small irritations. There are the annoyances of petty frustrations
and ever-recurring disagreeable experiences. In modern
terminology we refer to these upsetting circumstances or people
as "being bugged." Is there an antidote for them?
Can one come to the place of quiet contentment despite them?
The answer, for the one in Christ's care, is definitely "Yes!"
This is one of the main functions of the gracious Holy Spirit. In
Scripture He is often symbolized by oil - by that which brings
healing and comfort and relief from the harsh and abrasive
aspects of life.....
Finally, to produce the conditions necessary for a sheep to
lie down there must be freedom from the fear of hunger. This of
course is clearly implied in the statement, "He maketh me to lie
down in green pastures."
It is not generally recognized that many of the great sheep
countries of the world are dry, semi-arid areas. Most breeds of
sheep flourish best in this sort of terrain. They are susceptible
to fewer hazards of health or parasites where the climate is dry.
But in those same regions it is neither natural nor common to
find green pastures. For example, Palestine where David wrote
this Psalm and kept his father's flocks, especially near
Bethlehem, is a dry, brown, sun-burned wasteland.
Green pastures did not just happen by chance. Green pastures
were the product of tremendous labor, time, and skill in land
use. Green pastures were the result of clearing rough, rocky
land; of tearing out brush and roots and stumps; of deep plowing
and careful soil preparation; of seeding and planting special
grains and legumes; of irrigating with water and husbanding with
care the crops of forage that would feed the flocks.
All of this represented tremendous toil and skill and time
for the careful shepherd. If his sheep were to enjoy green
pastures amid the brown, barren hills it meant he had a
tremendous job to do.
But green pastures are essential to success with sheep. When
lambs are maturing and the ewes need green, succulent feed for a
heavy milk flow, there is no substitute for good pasturage. No
sight so satisfies the sheep owner as to see his flock well and
quietly fed to repletion on rich green forage, able to lie down
to rest, ruminate and gain.
In my own ranching operations one of the keys to the entire
enterprise lay in developing rich, lush pastures for my flock. On
at least two ranches there were old, worn out, impoverished
fields that were either bare or infested with inferior forage
plants. By skilful management and scientific land use these were
soon converted into flourishing fields knee deep in rich green
grass and legumes. On such forage it was common to have lambs
reach 100 pounds in weight within 100 days from birth.
The secret to this was that the flock could fill up quickly,
then lie down quietly to rest and ruminate.
A hungry, ill-fed sheep is ever on its feet, on the move,
searching for another scanty mouthful of forage to try and
satisfy its gnawing hunger. Such sheep are not contented, they do
not thrive, they are no use to themselves nor to their owners.
They languish and lack vigor and vitality.
In the Scriptures the picture portrayed of the Promised
Land, to which God tried so hard to lead Israel from Egypt, was
that of a "land flowing with milk and honey." Not only is this
figurative language but also essentially scientific terminology.
In agricultural terms we speak of a "milk flow" and "honey flow."
By this we mean the peak season of spring and summer when
pastures are at their most productive stages. The livestock that
feed on the forage and the bees that visit the blossoms are said
to be producing a corresponding "flow" of milk or honey. So a
land flowing with milk and honey is a land of rich, green,
luxuriant pastures.
And when God spoke of such a land for Israel He also foresaw
such an abundant life of joy and victory and contentment for His
people.
For the child of God, the Old Testament account of Israel
moving from Egypt into the Promised Land, is a picture of us
moving from sin into the life of overcoming victory. We are
promised such a life. It has been provided for us and is made
possible by the unrelenting effort of Christ on our behalf.
How He works to clear the life of rocks of stoney unbelief.
How He tries to tear out the roots of bitterness. He attempts to
break up the hard, proud human heart that is set like sun-dried
clay. He then sows the seed of His own precious Word, which, if
given half a chance to grow will produce rich crops of
contentment and peace. He waters this with the dews and rain of
His own presence by the Holy Spirit. He tends and cares and
cultivates the life, longing to see it become rich and green and
productive.
It is all indicative of the unrelenting energy and industry
of an owner who wishes to see his sheep satisfied and well fed.
It all denotes my Shepherd's desire to see my best interests
served. His concern for my care is beyond my comprehension,
really. At best all I can do is to enjoy and revel in what He has
brought into effect.
This life of quiet overcoming; of happy repose; of rest in
His presence, of confidence in His management is something few
Christians ever fully enjoy.
Because of our own perverseness we often prefer to feed on
the barren ground of the world around us. I used to marvel how
some of my sheep actually chose inferior forage at times.
But the Good Shepherd has supplied green pastures for those
who care to move in onto them and there find peace and plenty.
...............
To be continued
A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 Resting by the Still Waters
HE LEADETH ME BESIDE THE STILL WATERS
ALTHOUGH SHEEP THRIVE in dry, semi-arid country, they still
require water. They are not like some of the African gazelles
which can survive fairly well on the modest amount of moisture
found in natural forage.
It will be noticed that here again the key or the clue to
where water can be obtained lies with the shepherd. It is he who
knows where the best drinking places are. In fact very often he
is the one who with much effort and industry has provided the
watering places. And it is to these spots that he leads the
flock.
But before thinking about the water sources themselves, we
do well to understand the role of water in the animal body and
why it is so essential for its well-being. The body of an animal
such as a sheep is composed of about 70 percent water on an
average. This fluid is used to maintain normal body metabolism;
it is a portion of every cell, contributing to its turgidity and
normal life functions. Water determines the vitality, strength
and vigor of the sheep and is essential to its health and general
well-being.
If the supply of water for an animal drops off, bodily
desiccation sets in. This dehydration of the tissues can result
in serious damage to them. It can also mean that the animal
becomes weak and impoverished.
Any animal is made aware of water lack by thirst. Thirst
indicates the need of the body to have its water supply
replenished from a source outside itself.
Now, just as the physical body has a capacity and need for
water, so Scripture points out to us clearly that the human
personality, the human soul has a capacity and need for the water
of the Spirit of the eternal God.
When sheep are thirsty they become restless and set out in
search of water to satisfy their thirst. If not led to the good
water supplies of clean, pure water, they will often end up
drinking from the polluted pot holes where they pick up such
internal parasites as nematodes, liver flukes or other disease
germs.
And in precisely the same manner Christ, our Good Shepherd,
made it clear that thirsty souls of men and women can only be
fully satisfied when their capacity and thirst for spiritual life
is fully quenched by drawing on Himself.
In Matthew 5:6 He said, "Blessed are they which do hunger
and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled
[satisfied]."
At the great feast in Jerusalem He declared boldly, "If any
man thirst, let him come unto me and drink."
"To drink" in spiritual terminology simply means "take in" -
or "to accept" - or "to believe." That is to say it implies that
a person accepts and assimilates the very life of God in Christ
to the point where it becomes a part of him.
The difficulty in all of this is that men and women who are
"thirsty" for God (who do have a deep inner sense of searching
and seeking; who are in quest of that which will completely
satisfy) often are unsure of where to look or really what they
are looking for. Their inner spiritual capacity for God and
divine life is desiccated and in their dilemma they will drink
from any dirty pool to try and satisfy their thirst for
fulfilment.
Saint Augustine of Africa summed it up so well when he
wrote, "O God! Thou hast made us for Thyself and our souls are
restless, searching, 'til they find their rest in Thee."
All the long and complex history of earth's religions, pagan
worship and human philosophy is bound up with this insatiable
thirst for God.
David, when he composed Psalm 23, knew this. Looking at life
from the standpoint of a sheep he wrote, "He [the Good Shepherd]
leadeth me beside the still waters." In other words, He alone
knows where the still, quiet, deep, clean, pure water is to be
found that alone can satisfy His sheep and keep them fit and
strong.
Generally speaking, water for the sheep came from three main
sources ... dew on the grass ... deep wells ... or springs and
streams.
Most people are not aware that sheep can go for months on
end, especially if the weather is not too hot, without actually
drinking, if there is heavy dew on the grass each morning. Sheep,
by habit, rise just before dawn and start to feed. Or if there is
bright moonlight they will graze at night. The early hours are
when the vegetation is drenched with dew, and sheep can keep fit
on the amount of water taken in with their forage when they graze
just before and after dawn.
Of course, dew is a clear, clean, pure source of water. And
there is no more resplendent picture of still waters than the
silver droplets of the dew hanging heavy on leaves and grass at
break of day.
The good shepherd, the diligent manager, makes sure that his
sheep can be out and grazing on this dew drenched vegetation. If
necessary it will mean he himself has to rise early to be out
with his flock. On the home ranch or afield he will see to it
that his sheep benefit from this early grazing.
In the Christian life it is of more than passing
significance to observe that those who are often the most serene,
most confident and able to cope with life's complexities are
those who rise early each day to feed on God's Word. It is in the
quiet, early hours of the morning that they are led beside the
quiet, still waters where they imbibe the very life of Christ for
the day. This is much more than mere figure of speech. It is
practical reality. The biographies of the great men and women of
God repeatedly point out how the secret of the success in their
spiritual life was attributed to the "quiet time" of each
morning. There, alone, still, waiting for the Master's voice one
is led gently to the place where as the old hymn
puts it, "The still dews of His Spirit can be dropped into my
life and soul."
(It is a false idea that there is something special about the
morning. Many a so-called "famous" Bible teachers have never come
to the reality of the truths of the Bible. The morning worship,
or afternoon worship, or evening worship, did nothing, and is
still doing nothing for tens of millions of people around the
world, when it comes to being led by the Spirit into all truth.
It is part to do with God; He will lead when He chooses to lead
into truth; and it is part to do with man; the heart must be in
the right condition to being taught, corrected, guided, into the
more perfect understanding of the Lord. And that heart-set must
be for all day, not just the morning - Keith Hunt)
One comes away from these hours of meditation, reflection
and communion with Christ refreshed in mind and spirit. The
thirst is slaked and the heart is quietly satisfied.
In my mind's eye I can see my flock again. The gentleness,
stillness and softness of early morning always found my sheep
knee deep in dew drenched grass. There they fed heavily and
contentedly. As the sun rose and its heat burned the dewdrops
from the leaves, the flock would retire to find shade. There,
fully satisfied and happily refreshed, they would lie down to
rest and ruminate through the day. Nothing pleased me more.
I am confident this is precisely the same reaction in My Master's
heart and mind when I meet the day in the same way. He loves to
see me contented, quiet, at rest and relaxed He delights to know
my soul and spirit have been refreshed and satisfied. But the
irony of life, and tragic truth for most Christians, is that this
is not so. It is often the case that they try, instead, to
satisfy their thirst by pursuing almost every other sort of
substitute.
For their minds and intellects they will pursue knowledge,
science, academic careers, vociferous reading or off-beat
companions. But somehow they are always left panting and
dissatisfied.
Some of my friends have been among the most learned and
highly respected scientists and professors in the country. Yet,
often, about them there is a strange yearning, an unsatisfied
thirst which all their learning, all their knowledge, all their
achievements have not satisfied.
To appease the craving of their souls and emotions men and
women will turn to the arts, to culture, to music, to literary
forms, trying to find fulfilment. And again, so often, these are
amongst the most jaded and dejected of people.
Amongst my acquaintances are some outstanding authors and
artists. Yet it is significant that to many of them life is a
mockery. They have tried drinking deeply from the wells of the
world only to turn away unsatisfied - unquenched in their soul's
thirst.
There are those who, to quench this thirst in their parched
lives, have attempted to find refreshment in all sorts of
physical pursuits and activities. They try travel. Or they
participate feverishly in sports. They attempt adventures of all
sorts, or indulge in social activities. They take up hobbies or
engage in community efforts. But when all is said and everything
has been done they find themselves facing the same haunting,
hollow, empty, unfilled thirst within.
(Ah, that is why it is a two sided coin; it takes God calling and
leading to His truth and the one being called, to accept and to
hunger for righteousness and the truths of God's word - Keith
Hunt)
The ancient prophet Jeremiah put it very bluntly when he
declared, "My people ... they have forsaken me the fountain of
living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that
can hold no water" (Jeremiah 2:13).
It is a compelling picture. It is an accurate portrayal of
broken lives - of shattered hopes - of barren souls that are
dried up and parched and full of the dust of despair.
Among young people, especially the "beat" generation, the
recourse to drugs, to alcohol, to sexual adventure in a mad
desire to assuage their thirst is classic proof that such sordid
indulgences are no substitute for the Spirit of the living God.
These poor people are broken cisterns. Their lives are a misery.
I have yet to talk to a truly happy "hippie." Their faces show
the desperation within.
And amid all this chaos of a confused, sick society, Christ
comes quietly as of old, and invites us to come to Him. He
invites us to follow Him. He invites us to put our confidence in
Him. For He it is who best knows how we can be satisfied. He
knows the human heart, the human personality, the human soul with
its amazing capacity for God can never be satisfied with a
substitute. Only the Spirit and life of Christ Himself will
satisfy the thirsting soul.
(It is true many are searching for something .... but they do not
know what, they are wanting something more than what they are
getting out of life. Then there are many who are quite happy in
their walk of life without "God" or "religion" in any form. For
those being called and chosen by God to inherit the first
resurrection, indeed they will have the heart and mind-set to
hunger and thirst after righteousness, and Jesus did say that
such would indeed be filled. They will be led to the clear still
waters of spiritual truth - Keith Hunt)
Now, strange as it may appear on the surface, the deep wells
of God from which we may drink are not always necessarily the
delightful experiences we may imagine them to be.
I recall clearly standing under the blazing equatorial sun
of Africa and watching the native herds being led to their
owner's water wells. Some of these were enormous, hand-hewn
caverns cut from the sandstone formation along the sandy rivers.
They were like great rooms chiselled out of the rocks with ramps
running down to the water trough at the bottom. The herds and
flocks were led down into these deep cisterns where cool, clear,
clean water awaited them.
But down in the well, stripped naked, was the owner bailing
water to satisfy the flock. It was hard, heavy, hot work.
Perspiration poured off the body of the bailer whose skin
glistened under the strain and heat of his labor. As I stood
there watching the animals quench their thirst at the still
waters I was again immensely impressed by the fact that
everything hinged and depended upon the diligence of the owner,
the shepherd. Only through his energy, his efforts, his sweat,
his strength could the sheep be satisfied.
In the Christian life exactly the same applies. Many of the
places we may be led into will appear to us as dark, deep,
dangerous and somewhat disagreeable. But it simply must be
remembered that He is there with us in it. He is very much at
work in the situation. It is His energy, effort and strength
expended on my behalf that even in this deep, dark place is bound
to produce a benefit for me.
It is there that I will discover He only can really satisfy
me. It is He who makes sense and purpose and meaning come out of
situations which otherwise would be but a mockery to me. Suddenly
life starts to have significance. I discover I am the object of
His special care and attention. Dignity and direction come into
the events of my life and I see them sorting themselves out into
a definite pattern of usefulness. All of this is refreshing,
stimulating, invigorating. My thirst for reality in life is
assuaged and I discover that I have found that satisfaction in my
Master.
(Yes, for those who are called, if they move on to be chosen, if
they love the Lord with all their heart, mind, and life, they
will be led to the true waters of spiritual understanding and
insight, that life with the true God is very satisfying, even if
some of the trails have thorn bushes to navigate around or
through - Keith Hunt)
Of course there is always a percentage of perverse people
who will refuse to allow God to lead them. They insist on running
their own lives and following the dictates of their own wills.
They insist they can be masters of their own destinies even if
ultimately such destinies are destructive. They don't want to be
directed by the Spirit of God - they don't want to be led by Him
- they want to walk in their own ways and drink from any old
source that they fancy might satisfy their whims.
(Sad to say, but Jesus did say that many are called but few are
chosen. Many who are called to hear the truths of God, push it
aside, reject it, simply do not want to be led by the Spirit of
the Lord - Keith Hunt)
They remind me very much of a bunch of sheep I watched one
day which were being led down to a magnificent mountain stream.
The snow-fed waters were flowing pure and clear and crystal clean
between lovely banks of trees. But on the way several stubborn
ewes and their lambs stopped, instead, to drink from small,
dirty, muddy pools beside the trail. The water was filthy and
polluted not only with the churned up mud from the passing sheep
but even with the manure and urine of previous flocks that had
passed that way. Still these stubborn sheep were quite sure it
was the best drink obtainable.
The water itself was filthy and unfit for them. Much more,
it was obviously contaminated with nematodes and liver fluke eggs
that would eventually riddle them with internal parasites and
disease of destructive impact.
People often try this pursuit or that with the casual
comment, "So, what? I can't see that it's going to do any harm!"
Little do they appreciate that often there is a delayed reaction
and that considerable time may elapse before the full impact of
their misjudgment strikes home. Then suddenly they are in deep
trouble and wonder why.
To offset these dangers and guard against them God invites
us to allow ourselves to be led and guided by His own gracious
Spirit. Much of the emphasis and teaching of the Pauline Epistles
in the New Testament is that the child of God should not end up
in difficulty. Galatians 5 and Romans 8 bring this out very
clearly.
Jesus' own teaching to His twelve disciples just before His
death, given to us in John 14 through 17, points out that the
gracious Holy Spirit was to be given to lead us into truth. He
would come as a guide and counsellor. Always He would lead us
into the things of Christ. He would make us see that the life in
Christ was the only truly satisfying life. We would discover the
delight of having our souls satisfied with His presence. It would
be He who would become to us very meat and drink - that as His
resurrection, over coming life was imparted to me by His Spirit;
each day I would be refreshed and satisfied.
(Yes indeed friends, it could well be that you reading from this
Website are called to grow in grace and knowledge. Jesus promised
us that the Spirit would lead into all truth. Maybe you have been
given some truths already, and now the Lord wants you to have
more. Then again, maybe you are brand new to the calling of God,
and He has led you to this Website. You will find on here,
spiritual studies for any spiritual age you may be in at the
present. It is my prayer that you will cry out to the Father and
to Christ, to be led by the Spirit into the wonderment and joy
and peace, that comes from being led to the still waters that can
quench a thirsty soul - Keith Hunt)
.................
To be continued
A SHEPHERD looks at Psalm 23 He restores my Soul!
HE RESORETH MY SOUL
IN STUDYING THIS Psalm it must always be remembered that it
is a sheep in the Good Shepherd's care who is speaking. It is
essentially a Christian's claim of belonging in the family of
God. As such he boasts of the benefits of such a relationship.
This being the case, one might well ask, "Why then this statement
... "He restoreth my soul'?" Surely it would be assumed that
anyone in the Good Shepherd's care could never become so
distressed in soul as to need restoration.
But the fact remains that this does happen.
Even David, the author of the Psalm, who was much loved of
God, knew what it was to be cast down and dejected. He had tasted
defeat in his life and felt the frustration of having fallen
under temptation. David was acquainted with the bitterness of
feeling hopeless and without strength in himself.
In Psalm 42:11 he cries out, "Why art thou cast down, O my
soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God..."
Now there is an exact parallel to this in caring for sheep.
Only those intimately acquainted with sheep and their habits
understand the significance of a "cast" sheep or a "cast down"
sheep.
This is an old English shepherd's term for a sheep that has
turned over on its back and cannot get up again by itself.
A "cast" sheep is a very pathetic sight. Lying on its back,
its feet in the air, it flays away frantically struggling to
stand up, without success. Sometimes it will bleat a little for
help, but generally it lies there lashing about in frightened
frustration.
If the owner does not arrive on the scene within a
reasonably short time, the sheep will die. This is but another
reason why it is so essential for a careful sheepman to look over
his flock every day, counting them to see that all are able to be
up and on their feet. If one or two are missing, often the first
thought to flash into his mind is, "One of my sheep is cast
somewhere. I must go in search and set it on its feet again."
One particular ewe that I owned in a flock of Cheviots was
notorious for being a cast sheep. Every spring when she became
heavy in lamb it was not uncommon for her to become cast every
second or third day. Only my diligence made it possible for her
to survive from one season to the next. One year I had to be away
from the ranch for a few days just when she was having her
problems. So I called my young son aside and told him he would be
responsible for her well-being while I was absent. If he managed
to keep her on her feet until I came home he would be well paid
for his efforts. Every evening after school he went out to the
fields faithfully and set up the old ewe so she could survive. It
was quite a task but she rewarded us with a fine pair of twin
lambs that spring.
It is not only the shepherd who keeps a sharp eye for cast
sheep, but also the predators. Buzzards, vultures, dogs, coyotes
and cougars all know that a cast sheep is easy prey and death is
not far off.
This knowledge that any "cast" sheep is helpless, close to
death and vulnerable to attack, makes the whole problem of cast
sheep serious for the manager.
Nothing seems to so arouse his constant care and diligent
attention to the flock as the fact that even the largest,
fattest, strongest and sometimes healthiest sheep can become cast
and be a casualty. Actually it is often the fat sheep that are
the most easily cast. The way it happens is this. A heavy, fat,
or long fleeced sheep will lie down comfortably in some little
hollow or depression in the ground. It may roll on its side
slightly to stretch out or relax. Suddenly the center of gravity
in the body shifts so that it turns on its back far enough that
the feet no longer touch the ground. It may feel a sense of panic
and start to paw frantically. Frequently this only makes things
worse. It rolls over even further. Now it is quite impossible for
it to regain its feet.
As it lies there struggling, gases begin to build up in the
rumen. As these expand they tend to retard and cut off blood
circulation to extremities of the body, especially the legs. If
the weather is very hot and sunny a cast sheep can die in a few
hours. If it is cool and cloudy and rainy it may survive in this
position for several days.
If the cast sheep is an ewe with lambs, of course, it is a
multiple loss to the owner. If the lambs are unborn they, too,
perish with her. If they are young and suckling they become
orphans. All of which adds to the seriousness of the situation.
So it will be seen why a sheepman's attention is always alert for
this problem.
During my own years as a keeper of sheep, perhaps some of
the most poignant memories are wrapped around the commingled
anxiety of keeping a count of my flock and repeatedly saving and
restoring cast sheep. It is not easy to convey on paper the sense
of this ever present danger. Often I would go out early and
merely cast my eye across the sky. If I saw the black-winged
buzzards circling overhead in their long slow spirals anxiety
would grip me. Leaving everything else I would immediately go out
into the rough wild pastures and count the flock to make sure
every one was well and fit and able to be on its feet.
This is part of the pageantry and drama depicted for us in
the magnificent story of the ninety and nine sheep with one
astray. There is the Shepherd's deep concern; his agonizing
search; his longing to find the missing one; his delight in
restoring it not only to its feet but also to the flock as well
as to himself.
Again and again I would spend hours searching for a single
sheep that was missing. Then more often than not I would see it
at a distance, down on its back, lying helpless. At once I would
start to run toward it - hurrying as fast as I could - for every
minute was critical. Within me there was a mingled sense of fear
and joy: fear it might be too late; joy that it was found at all.
As soon as I reached the cast ewe my very first impulse was to
Pick it up. Tenderly I would roll the sheep over on its side.
This would relieve the pressure of gases in the rumen. If she had
been down for long I would have to lift her onto her feet. Then
straddling the sheep with my legs I would hold her erect, rubbing
her limbs to restore the circulation to her legs. This often took
quite a little time. When the sheep started to walk again she
often just stumbled, staggered and collapsed in a heap once more.
All the time I worked on the cast sheep I would talk to it
gently, "When are you going to learn to stand on your own feet?"
- "I'm so glad I found you in time - you rascall." And so the
conversation would go. Always couched in language that combined
tenderness and rebuke, compassion and correction. Little by
little the sheep would regain its equilibrium. It would start to
walk steadily and surely. By and by it would dash away to rejoin
the others, set free from its fears and frustrations, given
another chance to live a little longer.
All of this pageantry is conveyed to my heart and mind when
I repeat the simple statement, "He restoreth my soull." There is
something intensely personal, intensely tender, intensely
endearing, yet intensely fraught with danger in the picture. On
the one hand there is the sheep so helpless, so utterly
immobilized though otherwise strong, healthy and flourishing;
while on the other hand there is the attentive owner quick and
ready to come to its rescue - ever patient and tender and
helpful. At this point it is important to point out that
similarly in the Christian life there is an exciting and
comforting parallel here. Many people have the idea that when a
child of God falls, when he is frustrated and helpless in a
spiritual dilemma, God becomes disgusted, fed-up and even furious
with him.
This simply is not so.
One of the great revelations of the heart of God given to us
by Christ is that of Himself as our Shepherd. He has the same
identical sensations of anxiety, concern and compassion for cast
men and women as I had for cast sheep. This is precisely why He
looked on people with such pathos and compassion. It explains His
magnanimous dealing with down-and-out individuals for whom even
human society had no use. It reveals why He wept over those who
spurned His affection. It discloses the depth of His
understanding of undone people to whom He came eagerly and
quickly, ready to help, to save, to restore.
When I read the life story of Jesus Christ and examine
carefully His conduct in coping with human need, I see Him again
and again as the Good Shepherd picking up "cast" sheep. The
tenderness, the love, the patience that He used to restore
Peter's soul after the terrible tragedy of his temptations is a
classic picture of the Christ coming to restore one of His own.
And so He comes quietly, gently, reassuringly to me no matter
when or where or how I may be cast down.
In Psalm 56:13 we are given an accurate commentary on this
aspect of the Christian's life in these words, "... thou has
delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from
falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living."
We have to be realistic about the life of the child of God
and face facts as they really are. Most of us, though we belong
to Christ and desire to be under His control and endeavor to
allow ourselves to be led by Him, do on occasion find ourselves
cast down.
We discover that often when we are most sure of ourselves we
stumble and fall. Sometimes when we appear to be flourishing in
our faith we find ourselves in a situation of utter frustration
and futility.
Paul in writing to the Christians at Corinth warned them of
this danger. "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take
heed lest he fall" (I Corinthians 10:12).
Admittedly this may appear as one of the paradoxes and
enigmas of our spiritual lives. When we examine it carefully,
however, we will not find it too difficult to understand. As with
sheep, so with Christians, some basic principles and parallels
apply which will help us to grasp the way in which a man or woman
can be "cast."
There is, first of all, the idea of looking for a soft spot.
The sheep that choose the comfortable, soft, rounded hollows in
the ground in which to lie down very often become cast. In such a
situation it is so easy to roll over on their backs. In the
Christian life there is great danger in always looking for the
easy place, the cozy corner, the comfortable position where
there is no hardship, no need for endurance, no demand upon self
discipline.
The time when we think "we have it made," so to speak, is
actually when we are in mortar. There is such a thing as the
discipline of poverty and privation which can be self-imposed to
do us worlds of good. Jesus suggested this to the rich young man
who mistakenly assumed he was in a safe position when in truth he
was on the verge of being cast down.
Sometimes if, through self-indulgence, I am unwilling to
forfeit or forego the soft life, the easy way, the cozy corner,
then the Good Shepherd may well move me to a pasture where things
aren't quite so comfortable - not only for my own good but also
His benefit as well.
There is the aspect, too, of a sheep simply having too much
wool. Often when the fleece becomes very long, and heavily matted
with mud, manure, burrs and other debris, it is much easier for a
sheep to become cast, literally weighed down with its own wool.
Wool in Scripture depicts the old self-life in the
Christian. It is the outward expression of an inner attitude, the
assertion of my own desire and hopes and aspirations. It is the
area of my life in which and through which I am continually in
contact with the world around me. Here is where I find the
clinging accumulation of things, of possessions, of worldly ideas
beginning to weigh me down, drag me down, hold me down.
It is significant that no high priest was ever allowed to
wear wool when he entered the Holy of Holies. This spoke of self,
of pride, of personal preference - and God could not tolerate it.
If I wish to go on walking with God and not be forever cast down,
this is an aspect of my life which He must deal with drastically.
Whenever I found that a sheep was being cast because it had
too long and heavy a fleece, I soon took swift steps to remedy
the situation. In short order I would shear it clean and so
forestall the danger of having the ewe lose her life. This was
not always a pleasant process. Sheep do not really enjoy being
sheared and it represents some hard work for the shepherd, but it
must be done.
Actually when it is all over both sheep and owner are
relieved. There is no longer the threat of being cast down, while
for the sheep there is the pleasure of being set free from a hot,
heavy coat. Often the fleece is clogged with filthy manure, mud,
burrs, sticks and ticks. What a relief to be rid of it all.
And similarly in dealing with our old self-life, there will
come a day when the Master must take us in hand and apply the
keen cutting edge of His Word to our lives. It may be an
unpleasant business for a time. No doubt we'll struggle and kick
about it. We may get a few cuts and wounds. But what a relief
when it is all over. Oh, the pleasure of being set free from
ourselves! What a restoration!
The third chief cause of cast sheep is simply that they are
too fat. It is a well-known fact that over-fat sheep are neither
the most healthy nor the most productive. And certainly it is the
fattest that most often are cast. Their weight simply makes it
that much harder for them to be agile and nimble on their feet.
Of course once a sheepman even suspects that his sheep are
becoming cast for this reason he will take long-range steps to
correct the problem. He will put the ewes on a more rigorous
ration; they will get less grain and the general condition of the
flock will be watched very closely. It is his aim to see that the
sheep are strong, sturdy and energetic, not fat, flabby and weak.
Turning to the Christian life we are confronted with the
same sort of problem. There is the man or woman, who because they
may have done well in business or their careers or their homes,
feel that they are flourishing and have "arrived." They may have
a sense of well-being and self-assurance which in itself is
dangerous. Often when we are most sure of ourselves we are the
most prone to fall flat.
In His warning to the church in Revelation 3:17 God points
out that though some considered themselves rich and affluent,
they were actually in desperate danger. The same point was made
by Jesus in His account of the wealthy farmer who intended to
build more and bigger barns, but who, in fact, faced utter ruin.
Material success is no measure of spiritual health. Nor is
apparent affluence any criteria of real godliness. And it is well
for us that the Shepherd of our souls sees through this exterior
and takes steps to set things right.
He may well impose on us some sort of "diet" or "discipline"
which we may find a bit rough and unpalatable at first. But again
we need to reassure ourselves that it is for our own good,
because He is fond of us, and for His own reputation as the Good
Shepherd.
In Hebrews 12 we read how God chooses to discipline those He
loves. At the time it may prove a tough routine. But the deeper
truth is that afterward it produces a life of repose and
tranquility free from the fret and frustration of being cast down
like a helpless sheep.
The toughness it takes to face life and the formidable
reverses which it brings to us can come only through the
discipline of endurance and hardship. In His mercy and love our
Master makes this a part of our program. It is part of the price
of belonging to Him.
We may rest assured that He will never expect us or ask us
to face more than we can stand (I Corinthians 10:13). But what He
does expose us to will strengthen and fortify our faith and
confidence in His control. If He is the Good Shepherd we can rest
assured that He knows what He is doing. This in and of itself
should be sufficient to continually refresh and restore my soul.
I know of nothing which so quiets and enlivens my own
spiritual life as the knowledge that - "God knows what He is
doing with me!"
...................
To be continued
A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 Leading into Paths of Righteousness
HE LEADETH ME IN THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
FOR HIS NAME SAKE
SHEEP ARE NOTORIOUS creatures of habit. If left to
themselves they will follow the same trails until they become
ruts; graze the same hills until they turn to desert wastes;
pollute their own ground until it is corrupt with disease and
parasites. Many of the world's finest sheep ranges have been
ruined beyond repair by over-grazing, poor management and
indifferent or ignorant sheep owners.
One need only travel through countries like Spain, Greece,
Mesopotamia, North Africa and even parts of the western United
States and New Zealand or Australia to see the havoc wrought by
sheep on the land: Some areas in these countries which were
formerly productive grasslands have gradually been reduced to
ravaged wastelands. Too many sheep over too many years under poor
management have brought nothing but poverty and disaster in their
wake.
A commonly held, but serious misconception about sheep is
that they can just "get along anywhere." The truth is quite the
reverse. No other class of livestock requires more careful
handling, more detailed direction, than do sheep. No doubt David,
as a shepherd himself, had learned this firsthand from tough
experience. He knew beyond dispute that if the flock was to
flourish and the owner's reputation was to be held in high esteem
as a good manager, the sheep had to be constantly under his
meticulous control and guidance.
The first sheep farm I purchased as a young man was a piece
of derelict land that had been "sheeped to death." An absentee
owner had rented the place to a tenant. The latter simply loaded
the ranch with sheep, then left them pretty much to their own
ways. The result was utter desolation. Fields became so
overgrazed and impoverished they would grow little but poverty
grass. Little sheep trails had deteriorated into great gullies.
Erosion on the slopes was rampant and the whole place was ravaged
almost beyond repair.
All of this happened simply because the sheep, instead of
being managed and handled with intelligent care, had been left to
struggle for themselves - left to go their own way, left to the
whims of their own destructive habits. The consequence of such
indifference is that the sheep gnaw the grass to the very ground
until even the roots are damaged. I have seen places in Africa
where grass roots were pawed out of the soil, leaving utter
barrenness behind. Such abuse means loss of fertility and the
exposure of the land to all the ravages of erosion.
Because of the behavior of sheep and their preference for
certain favored spots, these well-worn areas become quickly
infested with parasites of all kinds. In a short time a whole
flock can thus become infected with worms, nematodes, and scab.
The final upshot is that both land and owner are ruined while the
sheep become thin, wasted, and sickly.
The intelligent shepherd is aware of all this. Not only just
for the welfare of his sheep and the health of his land, but also
for his own sake and reputation as a rancher, he must take the
necessary precautions to safeguard against these adverse animal
traits. Such habits, in themselves, comprise very serious
hazards.
The greatest single safeguard which a shepherd has in
handling his flock is to keep them on the move. That is to say,
they dare not be left on the same ground too long. They must be
shifted from pasture to pasture periodically. This prevents
over-grazing of the forage. It also avoids the rutting of trails
and erosion of land from over-use. It forestalls the
reinfestation of the sheep with internal parasites or disease,
since the sheep move off the infested ground before these
organisms complete their life cycles.
In a word - there must be a pre-determined plan of action, a
deliberate, planned rotation from one grazing ground to another
in line with right and proper principles of sound management.
This is precisely the sort of action and the idea David had
in mind when he spoke of being led in paths of righteousness.
In this following of a precise plan of operation lies the
secret for healthy flocks and healthy land. Here is the key to
successful sheep husbandry. The owner's entire name and
reputation depends on how effectively and efficiently he keeps
his charges moving onto wholesome, new, fresh forage. The one who
directs his flock along this course is sure of success.
Casting my mind's eye back over the years that I kept sheep,
no other single aspect of the ranch operations commanded more of
my careful attention than this moving of the sheep. It literally
dominated all my decisions. Not a day went by but what I would
walk over the pasture in which the sheep were feeding to observe
the balance between its growth and the grazing pressure upon it.
As soon as the point was reached where I felt the maximum benefit
for both sheep and land was not being met, the sheep were moved
to a fresh field. On the average this meant they were put onto
new ground almost every week. In very large measure the success I
enjoyed in sheep ranching must be attributed to this care in
managing my flock.
A similar procedure applies to flocks of sheep taken out on
summer range in the hills by itinerant herders. They deliberately
lead or drive their sheep onto fresh range almost every day. A
pattern of grazing is worked out carefully in advance so that the
sheep do not feed over the same ground too long or too
frequently. Some shepherds set up a base camp and fan out from it
in wide circles, like the lobes of a clover leaf, covering new
pasturage each day, returning to camp at night.
Coupled with this entire concept of management, there is of
course the owner's intimate knowledge of his pastures. He has
been all over this ground again and again. He knows its every
advantage and every drawback. He knows where his flock will
thrive and he is aware of where the feed is poor. So he acts
accordingly.
A point worthy of mention here is that whenever the shepherd
opens a gate into a fresh pasture the sheep are filled with
excitement. As they go through the gate even the staid old ewes
will often kick up their heels and leap with delight at the
prospect of finding fresh feed. How they enjoy being led onto new
ground.
Now as we turn to the human aspect of this theme we will be
astonished at some of the parallels. As mentioned earlier it is
no mere whim on God's part to call us sheep. Our behavior
patterns and life habits are so much like that of sheep it is
well nigh embarrassing.
First of all Scripture points out that most of us are a
stiff-necked and stubborn lot. We prefer to follow our own
fancies and turn to our own ways. "All we like sheep have gone
astray; we have turned every one to his own way" (Isaiah 53:6).
And this we do deliberately, repeatedly even to our own
disadvantage. here is something almost terrifying about the
destructive self-determination of a human being. It is inexorably
interlocked with personal pride and self-assertion. We insist we
know what is best for us even though the disastrous results may
be self-evident.
Just as sheep will blindly, habitually, stupidly follow one
another along the same little trails until they become ruts that
erode into gigantic gullies, so we humans cling to the same
habits that we have seen ruin other lives. Turning to "my own
way" simply means doing what I want. It implies that I feel free
to assert my own wishes and carry out my own ideas. And this I do
in spite of every warning.
We read in Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25, "There is a way which
seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of
death."
In contrast to which Christ the Good Shepherd comes gently
and says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). "I am come that they
might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly"
(John 10:10).
The difficult point is that most of us don't want to come.
We don't want to follow. We don't want to be led in the paths of
righteousness. Somehow it goes against our grain. We actually
prefer to turn to our own way even though it may take us straight
into trouble.
The stubborn, self-willed, proud, self-sufficient sheep that
persists in pursuing its old paths and grazing on its old
polluted ground will end up a bag of bones on ruined land. The
world we live in is full of such folk. Broken homes, broken
hearts, derelict lives and twisted personalities remind us
everywhere of men and women who have gone their own way. We have
a sick society struggling to survive on beleaguered land. The
greed and selfishness of mankind leaves behind a legacy of ruin
and remorse.
Amid all this chaos and confusion Christ the Good Shepherd
comes and says, "If any man will follow me, let him deny himself
daily and take up his cross and follow me." But many don't want
to do this. We don't want to deny ourselves, give up our right to
make our own decisions - we don't want to follow; we don't want
to be led.
Of course, most of us, if confronted with this charge, would deny
it. We would assert vehemently that we are "led of the Lord." We
would insist that we would follow wherever He leads. We sing
songs to this effect and give mental assent to the idea. But as
far as actually being led in paths of righteousness is concerned,
precious few of us follow that path.
Actually this is the pivot point on which a Christian either
"goes on" with God or at which point he "goes back" from
following on. There are many, willful, wayward, indifferent,
self-interested Christians who cannot really be classified as
followers of Christ. There are relatively few diligent disciples
who forsake all to follow the Master.
Jesus never made light of the cost involved in following
Him. In fact He made it painfully clear that it was a rugged life
of rigid self-denial. It entailed a whole new set of attitudes.
It was not the natural, normal way a person would ordinarily live
and this is what made the price so prohibitive to most people.
In brief, seven fresh attitudes have to be acquired. They
are the equivalent of progressive forward movements onto new
ground with God. If one follows them they will discover fresh
pasturage; new, abundant life; and increased health,
wholesomeness and holiness, in their walk with God. Nothing will
please Him more and most certainly no other activity on our part
will or can result in as great benefit to other lives around us.
1. Instead of loving myself most I am willing to love Christ best
and others more than myself.
Now love in a scriptural sense is not a soft, sentimental
emotion. It is a deliberate act of my will. It means that I am
willing to lay down my life, lay myself out, put myself out on
behalf of another. This is precisely what God did for us in
Christ. "Hereby perceive [understand] we the love of God, because
he laid down his life for us" (I John 3:16).
The moment I deliberately do something definite either for
God or others that costs me something, I am expressing love. Love
is "self-lessness" or "self-sacrifice" in contradistinction to
"selfishness." Most of us know little of living like this or
being "led" in this right way. But once a person discovers the
delight of doing something for others, he has started through the
gate being led into one of God's green pastures.
2. Instead of being one of the crowd I am willing to be singled
out, set apart from the gang.
Most of us, like sheep, are pretty gregarious. We want to
belong. We don't want to be different in a deep, distinctive way,
though we may wish to be different in minor details that appeal
to our selfish egos.
But Christ pointed out that only a few would find His way
acceptable. And to be marked as one of His would mean a certain
amount of criticism and sarcasm from a cynical society. Many of
us don't want this. Just as He was a man of sorrows and
acquainted with grief, so we may be. Instead of adding to the
sorrows and sadness of society we may be called on to help bear
some of the burdens of others, to enter into the suffering of
others. Are we ready to do this?
3. Instead of insisting on my rights I am willing to forego them
in favor of others.
Basically this what the Master meant by denying one's self.
It is not easy, nor normal, nor natural to do this. Even in the
loving atmosphere of the home, self-assertion is pretty evident
and the powerful exercise of individual rights is always
apparent.
But the person who is willing to pocket his pride, to take a
back seat, to play second fiddle without a feeling of being
abused or put upon has gone a long way onto new ground with God.
There is a tremendous emancipation from "self" in this attitude.
One is set free from the shackles of personal pride. It's pretty
hard to hurt such a person. He who has no sense of
self-importance cannot be offended or deflated. Somehow such
people enjoy a wholesome outlook of carefree abandon that makes
their Christian lives contagious with contentment and gaiety.
4. Instead of being "boss" I am willing to be at the bottom of
the heap. Or to use sheep terminology, instead of being "Top Ram"
I'm willing to be a "tailender."
When the desire for self-assertion, self-aggrandizement,
self-pleasing gives way to the desire for simply pleasing God and
others, much of the fret and strain is drained away from daily
living.
A hallmark of the serene soul is the absence of "drive," at
least, "drive" for self-determination. The person who is prepared
to put his personal life and personal affairs in the Master's
hands for His management and direction has found the place of
rest in fresh fields each day. These are the ones who find time
and energy to please others.
5. Instead of finding fault with life and always asking "Why?" I
an willing to accept every circumstance of life in an attitude of
gratitude.
Human beings, being what they are, somehow feel entitled to
question the reasons for everything that happens to them. In many
instances life itself becomes a continuous criticism and
dissection of one's circumstances and acquaintances. We look for
someone or something on which to pin the blame for our
misfortunes. We are often quick to forget our blessings, slow to
forget our misfortunes.
But if one really believes his affairs are in God's hands,
every event, no matter whether joyous or tragic, will be taken as
part of God's plan. To know beyond doubt that He does all for our
welfare is to be led into a wide area of peace and quietness and
strength for every situation.
6. Instead of exercising and asserting my will, I learn to
cooperate with His wishes and comply with His will.
It must noted that all the steps outlined here involve the
will. The saints from earliest times have repeatedly pointed out
that nine-tenths of religion, of Christianity, of becoming a true
follower, a dedicated disciple, lies in the will.
When a man or woman allows his will to be crossed out,
cancelling the great "I" in their decisions, then indeed the
Cross has been applied to that life. This is the meaning of
taking up one's cross daily - to go to one's own death - no
longer my will in the matter but His will be done.
7. Instead of choosing my own way I am willing to choose to
follow in Christ's way; simply to do what He asks me to do.
This basically is simple, straightforward obedience. It
means I just do what He asks me to do. I go where He invites me
to go. I say what He instructs me to say. I act and re-act in the
manner He maintains is in my own best interest as well as for His
reputation (if I'm His follower).
Most of us possess a formidable amount of factual
information on what the Master expects of us. Precious few have
either the will, intention or determination to act on it and
comply with His instructions. But the person who decides to do
what God asks him has moved onto fresh ground which will do both
him and others a world of good. Besides, it will please the Good
Shepherd no end.
God wants us all to move on with Him. He wants us to walk
with Him. He wants it not only for our welfare but for the
benefit of others as well as His own dear reputation.
Perhaps there are those who think He expects too much of us.
Maybe they feel the demands are too drastic. Some may even
consider His call impossible to carry out.
It would be if we had to depend on self-determination, or
self-discipline to succeed. But if we are in earnest about
wanting to do His will, and to be led, He makes this possible by
His own gracious Spirit who is given to those who obey (Acts
5:32). For it is He who works in us both will and to do of His
good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).
...............
To be continued
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