A sheep in the care of my Shepherd

Sheep have a reputation for being among the least intelligent of animals. Now, perhaps they're not as unintelligent as they seem (check out this article), but they're certainly not bright. They definitely aren't anywhere near as smart as humans.
Sheep stick together in a herd, and what one sheep does, the others generally do. They do have a tendency to wander off alone, and aren't always good at recognizing danger. However, they can remember fellow sheep and a few human faces (see the article linked above). When a sheep has one shepherd for its whole life, it learns to recognize the voice of that shepherd (see this for a bit more on that).

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The Bible often compares God to a shepherd, and his people to sheep. This was a familiar image to people living in both Old and New Testament times. King David himself was a shepherd as a boy (1 Samuel 16:11).
When Jesus was born, some of the first people to see him were shepherds (Luke 2:15-16).

Israel (Jacob) called God his shepherd. In blessing his son Joseph, he said "May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the Angel who has delivered me from all harm--may he bless these boys." (Genesis 28:15-16)
Moses compared God's people to sheep: "Moses said to the Lord, 'May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd'" (Numbers 27:15-17). (Joshua became that shepherd for God's people.)

The Psalms have many references to God as our shepherd, which makes sense since David wrote many of them.
Psalm 100:3 says, "Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture."
In Psalm 119:176 the psalmist confesses, "I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands."
And of course, the entirety of Psalm 23 is a metaphor for our life as sheep, being led by God, our shepherd. He provides everything we need, he protects us from harm, he corrects us when we stray, he is by our side through the darkest parts of life, and he will bless us to our life's end and beyond.

Several other passages in the Old Testament reference sheep and shepherds. See, for example, Isaiah 40:11 and 53:6-7 and Jeremiah 50:6.

In the New Testament, the best-known passage about sheep and shepherds is found in John 10. Not only does Jesus call himself the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for his sheep, but he is the gate to the sheep pen--the only way into that place of safety and rest. Anyone who tries to get into the pen any way other than the gate "is a thief and a robber." (See verses 1-2, 11, 14-15 especially.)
(For other New Testament references to God as our shepherd and us as his sheep, see Matthew 2:6, 9:36, Hebrews 13:20, 1 Peter 2:25, 5:2-4, Revelation 7:17.)

Perhaps being compared to sheep isn't the most flattering comparison. But if you think about it from a spiritual standpoint, it makes sense. Without God's direction (especially through the words of Scripture) we wouldn't know where to go and what we should and shouldn't do. Without his voice calling us to follow him, we would easily be led astray by other distractions around us. (We often are distracted as it is!) God provides everything we need, protects us from harm and evil, and loves us as his children. We might not even know when we're in danger because as our shepherd, God keeps those evil things away from us.

He calls us by name, just as shepherds call their sheep. He knows all our faults and still loves us and cares for us. And when faced with the ultimate adversary--Satan--he gladly laid down his life so that we could live.

When I consider all that, being a sheep isn't so bad after all. I'll readily admit that I'm not always very bright. I make some really stupid decisions, and I often get distracted away from my Shepherd's voice. But he's always there to bring me back to the fold, to heal my wounds, and to remind me how much he loves me.

Now, on a rather humorous note... check out this video!

The Days Ordained for Me

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." -Psalm 139:13-16

"All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."


That truth is absolutely mind-boggling.  I was born twenty-one years ago today, but long before that, God knew me, and he already knew what each day of my future life would bring.

He knew me before he "knit me together in my mother's womb."  God has known me intimately since he created me at conception...since before that.

And he knows every day of my life that is to come in the future.

When I look back on my life up until this point, I can see God's hand at work in every detail.

He brought my parents together in a pretty awesome way--without that, I wouldn't have been born.
He led us to the places he wanted us to live, to meet the people he wanted us to meet, in order to shape our lives so that we could become who he wanted us to become.
God has given me so many incredible opportunities through which he has blessed me, enabled me to be a blessing, and taught me about who he is and about who I am as his child.
He made it possible for me to end up here, at this little college, to meet the man who is now my husband, and many other people who have been a blessing in my life.

In these and in countless other ways, I can see that God had my life planned out in advance.

And I can know and trust, therefore, that he also has the rest of my life planned out--he has known it since before the beginning of time.

My times are in his hands.
My life is in his control.

I need not fear the future--God knows it.
I need not worry about my life--God will take care of it.

The God who has loved me since the world was born, this awesome God, knows my future and will be with me through every moment of it.

Just as he has always been.

And the same holds true for you.


























 

I Will Lift My Eyes

The Psalm that the man and I chose for our wedding service is Psalm 121:

I lift up my eyes to the hills--
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

That's just verses one and two.  But it hit me, reading this the other day, that this defines my priorities and the source of my help and strength, during this time before my wedding and for my whole life.

Where am I lifting up my eyes?  Where am I looking for help?  Am I looking inward, toward myself?  Am I looking toward my (soon-to-be) husband, or our families, or the government, for help?  Is my focus on myself and my own petty worries and problems?

My focus IS on the Lord.  The psalmist tells us why we can put our trust in God: He is the Maker of heaven and earth.  The One who formed the universe, the stars in the sky, birds in the air, fish in the sea, is the One who made me.  He is in control of every aspect of the universe, including my life.  He is my strength, my help, my hope, my life.

During this time of much change and adjustment, my eyes will be lifted to God's holy hill, to my helper, the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.


**Apartment pictures coming soon! :) **

Finding New Meaning in an Old Favorite (Psalm 23)

Yesterday was Good Shepherd Sunday.  For family devotions my dad read Psalm 23.  I haven't read it in a while, although I do know it by heart.  But last night I realized that it has more meaning for me than ever.

The Lord is my shepherd.
My God is my caretaker, my leader, my provider.  He always knows what's best for me, he always keeps me safe, he can see danger where I can't, he reprimands me when I stray but lovingly brings me back to him.

I shall not be in want.
I have everything I need.  Because I have God, I lack nothing.  He provides for all my needs-- not necessarily all my wants.  But I can be confident that God will always provide for me.  "Give us this day our daily bread"-- what we need for today.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.
This goes along with remembering the Sabbath day: resting as God rested on the final day of Creation.  He provides places to rest, times of rest, seasons of rest.  He refreshes us, physically, spiritually, mentally.  He fills us with peace through his Spirit.  He blesses us with sleep.  He gives us restful homes to live in.  He gives us times of quietness so that we may hear his voice.

He restores my soul.
We are sinful people; we fill our lives and souls with the filth of our sins.  But God cleanses us, washes that sin away, and restores our broken souls so that they are whole and wholly his.  He gives us his forgiveness, and enables us to forgive others, so that our souls are not destroyed by guilt, shame, or resentment.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
In our lives, God can see where we're going.  He knows where we need to go; he knows where he wants us to go.  He plans our lives so that by living them we glorify him.  He guides our life's paths so that we may live righteous lives, and by doing so, give honor and glory to his name.  My desire is for my life to give praise to God: he makes it possible for me to do so by directing my life.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
In dark times God is still there.  Those times when we are sick, are scared, are fearful of the present or the future; when we can't see where to go or turn because the path is dark to us; when a loved one is dying or has died; when Satan seems to have the upper hand in our lives and in the world.  In all those times, God is there. And it's only the shadow of death.  Where there is a shadow, there must always be light.  God is that light, he is there always, and we need not fear the power of Satan.

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Rods were tools of authority; staffs were tools of comfort.  God is in control, all the time, and he is bigger than any evil thing.  He has our lives in his hands.  In his word we read of God's sovereignty and his love: authority and comfort.  He reassures us in other means: through the Sacrament, through hymns and songs, and through people who he places in our lives at just the right time.  Parents, siblings, spouses, friends, pastors, and teachers--sometimes even strangers--are all used by God to direct and comfort us.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
My Study Bible notes say, "The heavenly Shepherd-King receives David at his table as his vassal king and takes him under his protection.  In the ancient Near East, covenants were often concluded with a meal expressive of the bond of friendship."  God blesses us and protects us, and he has given us authority over creation as he gave to Adam at the beginning.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Anointing a guest was a way of honoring them.  God does not treat us like slaves or dishonored guests; in his eyes we are precious, specially chosen by him to be his own (1 Peter 2:9), his blessed children who will receive his inheritance of eternal life.  He gives us more blessings than we need, more than we can count (have you ever tried counting everything that God has blessed you with?  I haven't, but I think it would take a very long time!). God is ever generous with his children, blessing us far more than we deserve, and being kind and gracious with us.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
We are believers in the one true God.  We may face trouble and suffering in this life, especially because we follow Jesus.  But we follow Jesus, the one true God.  Jesus said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10).  We will be blessed because we follow Jesus, because he has saved us: not because of anything we have done, but because of his mercy.  And those blessings have eternal benefits: we will live with Jesus in heaven for eternity.  God's love will never leave us, his blessings will always be upon us, and his Spirit dwells within us for all eternity.

Holy Week: Psalm 22

This morning in chapel we used the Taize service (check out this website for information on the Taize community).  It was meditative and contemplative and it really got me into the mindset of this Holy Week.  I definitely needed that today.

One of the readings was Psalm 22.  It's a psalm that David wrote when he was in great distress and being severely persecuted by his enemies.  But it's also a very prophetic psalm, the most-quoted psalm in the New Testament, and gives very detailed prophecies of Jesus' passion and crucifixion.  It's read--chanted, actually-- by my dad every Maundy Thursday at my home church, as the altar is stripped in preparation for the solemnity of Good Friday.

I wondered, listening to those ancient words being read today, if David had any idea that the Messiah would suffer what he was suffering, only to a much greater degree.  Did he know that he was describing what Jesus would do as he paid the price for the sins of the whole world?  Did David have any idea how important and meaningful his words were?

The words of the psalm made me think once again about the agony Jesus went through.  It's almost more than can be described.  And yet, he did it willingly.  He did it out of love, completely by choice, not deserving the treatment he was getting.  He did it for every person in the world, whether they would accept it or not.  He died.  For me.

That's almost too much to fathom.

His grace, his love, his incredible forgiveness, all given to me.

That's what he did that day.

A Poem-Psalm

It's National Poetry Month, and inspired by my lovely friends Teagan and Lisa, I thought I might do something spur-of-the-moment.

Now, a disclaimer: I wrote this inspired by the Jude doxology (see previous post), and my audience is therefore One: God himself.  This is for him.  But I'm guessing David didn't think billions of people would read his psalms, either, so I'm sharing it.  :)  It's rough, I just wrote it in about five minutes, but here it is:

God, I marvel at your works.
Looking at the bright blue sky,
the warm, life-giving sun--
I know you placed them there and
you hold them there and
you made them beautiful.

I see your glory in the
tiny, perfect figure of a
newborn baby.
You created them and
gave them life!
What's more, you did the same
for me.
You put cells together
and made them live and grow
and those cells
became me.

That's how you create every person.
In making us, you give us purpose:
purpose to live, to praise and serve you,
our Creator.

So often we fail.
So often we want glory for ourselves
and take it from you.

But as surely as you are the God
who creates,
you are the God
who forgives,
who has taken away
all our sins.
And when we fall before you
in contrite repentance,
you say, "My child,
your sin is gone.
My Son has taken it
and instead has given you
his righteousness."

God, I praise you for your goodness,
your compassion and love and greatness and power!
May I live to praise and honor you
with my whole life.


Share in National Poetry Month!

Sometimes someone else has already put my feelings into words.

Psalm 103:8-13:
The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve or relay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.

Once again I have experienced God's incredible love, mercy, and most of all his forgiveness.
Every day, every hour, every minute he gives me a fresh start, another chance to live my life to his glory.

And as Rebecca St. James sings in the song above, "My child, let me remind you, it is I who'll lead and guide you as you go."  God doesn't force us to get it right on our own.  HE gives us the strength and willpower to obey him!!

In the Morning...

This morning I awakened refreshed, peaceful, not weary and dreading climbing out of bed like I had been most days.

Since I began to open my heart and my life to Him more, God has filled me with a sense of peace and joy that I haven't felt in a long time--maybe never felt.

My Bible was lying on my desk when I got up, and like a thirsty person to water I was drawn to it.  I like using my concordance when I'm not sure where to start reading, and appropriately to the time I looked up the word "morning" and found Psalm 5.  The first three verses read,

"Give ear to my words, O LORD,
        consider my sighing.
Listen to my cry for help,
    my King and my God,
    for to you I pray.
In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;
  in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."

The whole psalm is a prayer asking God to bless, watch over, and protect the writer, David, and a plea for justice against David's enemies.  Verse three doesn't mean that God only hears our prayers in the morning, but  what better time, I thought as I began talking to God, what better time to lay requests before him than at the beginning of the day?

The first two verses of the hymn "With the Lord Begin Your Task" read as follows:

With the Lord begin your task; Jesus will direct it.
For His aid and counsel ask; Jesus will perfect it.
Every morn with Jesus rise, and when day is ended
In His name then close your eyes; be to Him commended.

Let each day begin with prayer, praise and adoration.
On the Lord cast every care; He is your salvation.
Morning, evening, and at night, Jesus will be near you,
Save you from the tempter's might, with His presence cheer you.

When I am beginning a new day, my desire is to honor and glorify God in every one of that day's thoughts, words and actions.  He is always with me whether I ask for his presence or not, but when I request his presence and his guidance for that day, I know he will grant it.  When I ask him to love and bless others through me, I know he will hear my prayer.  When I thank him for his protection that night, thank him for a beautiful new day full of new grace, blessings and forgiveness, I know he hears me.  When I praise him for his goodness, his power and might, the wonderful way he keeps all life in motion and gives me everything I need every day, I know he is there and has received my praise.

Knowing that my Creator is with me every moment of every day not only helps keep me from sinning but it is the greatest comfort I've experienced.  The God who made me, who saved me and who loves me more than I can imagine, wants to be with me all the time; he wants me to spend my day talking to him, thanking and praising him and living in the joy of being loved by him.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 read, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

I'm not always happy all the time, but my joy is not dependent on physical circumstances but on the knowledge that I am a loved, saved and forgiven daughter of Almighty God.  The admonition to pray continually I don't see as a law but as a sweet invitation to be in constant fellowship with my Creator throughout the day.  And the phrase "give thanks in all circumstances" reminds me that no matter how bad my life might seem, I always have many things to be thankful for, because God just blesses me that much.

Today, I am going to rest in the presence of the God who made and loves me, and pray that every day might be the same.

All Kings Will Bow to Him: The Prophecy of Psalm 72

Psalm 72:1-11 is the assigned psalm for Epiphany.  I had never read it before today, and once again I am amazed at the prophetic nature of the psalms in terms of how they describe the Messiah, Christ Jesus.  I'll just quote some selected verses from this passage:

"He [the king] will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice...
He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor.
He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations...
He will rule from sea to sea and from the River [the Euphrates] to the ends of the earth...
The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts.
All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him."

This psalm was has the subtitle "Of Solomon;" whether that means it was written by Solomon or for him, or both, we don't know.  It may also have been used at the coronation of multiple kings, and it can be read and applied in that context.  But, according to my study notes, it was also recognized by later Jews and by the early Christian church as being prophetic of the Messiah.  Jesus Christ, as the ruler of heaven and earth and the Son of the Great King, God, would judge his people with righteousness and justice, defend the afflicted and needy, and crush the oppressor: Satan.  He is eternal, enduring as long as the sun and moon- even longer!- and through all generations.  His rule extends over the whole earth.

The last two verses are the tie-in with Epiphany.  The Magi were most likely from Persia or southern Arabia, and Sheba and Seba are in those regions.  These kings, the psalmist writes, would present the king with gifts and "all kings will bow down to him."  In our world today we can see that not all rulers of the earth worship and revere the one true God.  But we know that when Christ comes again, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord.