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Well, you might as well know. I mean, if you’re going to read my blog, you should know the truth about me, right?
I confess: I’m a self-righteous sheep.
Yep, you heard me.
I sit there in my pasture and look around at all the other sheep around me. I see one going this direction, one going that direction, wandering off the path, and I think, “What idiots. They really should know better.”
Well, maybe I’m not as harsh as all that.
But I sometimes think, “Our poor shepherd. He’s got so much work with all these stupid sheep wandering off.”
That’s when I realize it.
I look around, and no longer do I see any other sheep. I’m alone, in a different pasture.
I’m lost. How did I get here?
I start to quiver. My wool stands on end. There, out of the corner of my eye, it lurks.
A wolf.
I have to get out of here. But how? Which way to turn? I don’t know left from right.
I’m going to die. Right here.
And I thought they were stupid.
The wolf charges. I bleat. I run. I’m no match for him. He’s got me by the throat and there’s not a thing I can do on my own to stop him.
And then, He comes.
My Shepherd.
He charges the wolf, unafraid. He uses His staff to throw the wolf from me as if he weighs nothing. The wolf’s teeth do not alarm my Shepherd. My hero.
The wolf retreats, tail between his legs.
I want to run to my Shepherd, but I’m embarrassed. Why did he come for me? Why did he leave the others behind? Just for me?
It makes no sense.
None.
And yet it’s true.
Yahweh Roi has come to rescue me.
“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want…” (Psalm 23:1)
Your Turn: How has God been the Good Shepherd in your life?
*Today I’m hanging out over at Jill Kemerer’s blog, where I’m answering Five Easy Questions. I’d love for you to stop by and say hi!
**Photo by Simon Howden
Wolf or not, I tend to do a mighty fine job getting lost all on my own. He leads me home.
~ Wendy
Same here, Wendy. Same here. I get distracted when I take my eyes off of Him.
Girl, this was beautiful! Such a true picture of our glorious Shepherd! He's always taking the crook of His staff and pulling me back to Him, but I love the care in which He brings me to Him.
Awesome post!!
Such care. I love that too!
Like Jess said, this was totally beautiful. I love it. I fall into that righteous sheep trap too more often than I'd like to admit!
It's humbling when you do…makes you realize you have more stuff that needs fixing than you thought you did. But it means all the more when he comes for us regardless.
One of my favorite names of God!! It's a great study…looking at all the times "shepherd" is used in the Bible.
Thanks for this beautiful reminder of how caring our Lord is.
That's a good idea to look at all the instances of it. Love it!
Awesome job painting this picture for us, Lindsay. I can relate to it in so many ways. A handful of years ago I was that sheep, watching others stray and shaking my head. All of a sudden I was standing all alone in a field and the enemy was upon me. The Good Shepherd found me and brought me back and I saw the error of my self righteous ways. I still find myself shaking my head at others, and sometimes it's in self righteousness, but often it's in pain for them.
That's so cool how God develops an emphathy and compassion in us when we've experienced wandering ourselves, isn't it?
What a beautiful word picture, Lindsay!
Thanks, Sarah!
Wow, you did a great job with this post. Really hits home. Recently, the different names of God have come up…like El Shaddai…and been discussed in multiple places. Think that might mean I need to sit up and pay attention. All the different aspects of God are amazing.
Thanks, Marney! I've been doing a Names of God series here and really loving all of the aspects of God I'm learning about as I go. Thanks for stopping by!