2002-01-01
When we obey God, we give him the chance to reveal his marvelous attributes to us. We also take a prime opportunity He gives us to work through challenges carefully assigned by Him which are designed by the Creator to further the process of sanctification, to help us mature spiritually so we can be ready to inherit His Kingdom as joint-heirs with Christ. When we obey God, we let Him accomplish His work through us and encourage others around us to do the same. In other words, our obedience makes possible our spiritual maturation, is essential to gaining eternal life, and enables God’s will to be carried out. It blesses us. Today, we are going to look at God as our Shepherd. A dear friend of mine is taking a course on the book of Romans right now. She mentioned that her discussion group was grappling with the question of who is elected to come to faith, a question which involves a discussion of the issues of predestination and free agency-not an easy topic to understand. I found it rather revealing that in exercising His sovereignty, God chooses Israel as His people over other existing nations at the time Israel was in its infancy. We can see this in GN 46:33-34, Joseph’s instructions to his family upon their arrival in Egypt. “ ‘When the Pharaoh calls for you and asks what your occupation is, be sure to tell him that you have taken care of livestock all your lives, just as your ancestors did. In this way he will let you live in the region of Goshen.’ Joseph said this because Egyptians will have nothing to do with shepherds.” Could it be that God, in His omniscience, knew that Egyptians would never allow Him to be their spiritual and political leader? Could it be that it was God’s will that the Hebrews should live in that part of Egypt closest to what would become the Promised Land? These are interesting questions to ponder. The concept of the Lord as our Shepherd is spoken of again in the by then elderly Jacob’s last words to his sons. GN 46: 22-24 is part of Jacob’s last blessing on Joseph and his family. “Joseph is like a wild donkey by a spring. A wild colt on a hillside. His enemies attach him fiercely and pursue him with their bows and arrows. But his bow remains steady, and his arms are made strong by the power of the Mighty God of Jacob, by the Shepherd, the Protector of Israel.” The word “shepherd” implies a leader who has intelligence and compassion, capable of leading his helpless flocks to safety and security. Surely those are attributes we can associate with God. Yet, remember for a sheep to remain safe, it must obey the calls of the shepherd and depend on the shepherd to keep it safe. Isn’t it that way for God’s sheep, the faithful? Look at us. Can we survive spiritually without Him? Don’t we fall into disarray and negatives pitfalls of sin when we choose not to obey God? Our congregation is going through a very important transition now. Our much-beloved Senior Pastor is retiring and will be sorely missed when he is gone. And yet, God is leading us to another human shepherd who will be His representative in leading us. I personally have felt God’s shepherding hand in this entire three-year process. That is because I know God loves His faithful people and rewards their obedience to Him with safety and security. This is no new concern. When Moses knew it was getting to the end of the time for his leadership, he prayed in NU 27: 15-18 for a new leader for the Jewish people. “Moses prayed, ‘Lord God, Source of all life, appoint, I pray, a man who can lead the people and command them in battle, so that Your community will not be like sheep without a shepherd.’ The Lord said to Moses, ‘Take Joshua son of Nun, a capable man, and place your hands on his head…” Moses obeyed God, resulting in the appointment of Joshua who demonstrated himself capable of leading the Jews into the Promised Land. Can you see how God reveals His attributes here? Can you see how He used both Moses and Joshua to do His work? God blessed Moses’ life by showing him he could do something he never dreamed he could do. God blessed Joshua’s life, because due to their obedience and honesty, he and Caleb were the only people in the original generation of Hebrews that left Egypt allowed to actually enter the Promised Land. Listen to these familiar words, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” from PS 23:1. Like the Lord’s Prayer, this 23rd Psalm is often repeated without taking in the full impact of what these wonderful words of David mean. If we had perfect faith and perfect obedience, we would never have a reason to worry about anything ever again. We would know without a doubt that as long as we were obedient and faithful to God, He would supply us with our every need. Without His direction, we would be lost. With it, our way will be provided for us; the Shepherd would be leading us in doing His will. We would know without a doubt that His will is always best for us; we would never have a reason, real or manufactured, not to trust in Him completely. A life like this idea described resembled that of our Messiah, Jesus Christ. Even through He had suffering that makes ours look like a walk in the park, He never lost His faith that the Father would see Him through it. He always obeyed God and never did anything of which God was not a part. His life was blessed! Can’t we take a lesson from that ideal set before our very own eyes? You are all familiar with JN 10, that delicious, precious chapter that speaks of our Lord as the Good Shepherd. Reread that one today. Did you know that the concept of the Good Shepherd is discussed in the OT? Read Ezekiel 34. I know that seems like a lot of reading, but believe me it’s worth your time. Listen to a few excepts from EZK 34. EZK 34: 2, 5, “Mortal Man [God’s name for Ezekiel],” the Lord said. “Denounce the rulers of Israel. Tell them what I the Sovereign Lord say to them: You are doomed, you shepherds of Israel. You take care of yourselves, but never tend the sheep.” “Because the sheep had no shepherd, they were scattered, and wild animals killed and ate them.” These words have added impact when you understand that Ezekiel was God’s prophet to the Jews in exile at the Chabar River settlement near the Euphrates River in Babylonia. Israel had temporarily lost its nationhood as a result of idolatry and general disobedience to God that the Lord could no longer ignore. (11-12) “I, the Sovereign Lord, tell you that I Myself will look for My sheep and take care of them. In the same way as a shepherd takes care of his sheep that were scattered and are brought back together again.” (17) “No the, My flock, I, the Sovereign Lord, tell you that I will judge each of you and separate the good from the bad, the sheep from the goats.” (23) I will give them a king like My servant David to be their one Shepherd, and He will take are of them.” I wish I had enough time to give you all the incredible cross-references that validate the truths prophesied here. Take my word for it, the Good Shepherd is eager to guide, protect, secure, and bless our lives. All He asks us to do is to obey Him, so He can accomplish His great works through us. PRAYER: O Lord, as IS 53: 6 says, we have been your sheep going astray; each one of us going his own way. We recognize that our very salvation depends upon accepting You as our Shepherd, the Shepherd of our lives. We offer You our thanks and praise that You love us enough to want to lead us from death to life eternal. You bless our lives by your Presence in them. Let us never forget that and give You every opportunity to reveal Your wonderful attributes through our obedience to You. In Christ’s name, amen. Be blessed today and always, Dear Ones. Your Lord loves you more than you can comprehend. Peter and I send you our love too. Grace, Peace, and the Love of Christ Be With You Always,
Lynn