WHEN IT COMES TO A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, PEOPLE WANDER AWAY. For this reason Jesus spoke of His people as sheep that wander.
If you ever just sit and watch them, you may notice that sheep are not aggressive animals. They munch on a tuft of grass here, and a tuft of grass there, and then another, and another—not paying attention to where they’re going. Sheep, relatively speaking, are not smart and they are certainly not self-sufficient. They are actually very vulnerable animals. They need shepherds to protect, guide them, and to feed them. With this tendency to wander, and total lack of instinct for self-defense, they are easy prey. Before they know it they have unintentionally wandered away, and without their shepherd they find themselves in trouble and danger.
You may identify as one of God’s sheep. At some point, you may have become busy with college studies, relationships, your profession, raising kids, making money, or just doing life. This is especially true during summer months when we add athletic events, vacation days, and lazy summer days. All of these are just tufts of grass that sheep eat and without paying attention, you find you have wandered from God just like Bible says, “All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.”
There are many things I love about Jesus, but one thing that is very dear to me is the fact that Jesus loves and pursues wanderers. Perhaps this is dear to me, because I, myself, have wandered.
Jesus once said, “I AM the good shepherd.” He said, “The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” He told how the shepherd left the 99 sheep that were safe and searched for the one that was lost.
There is nothing cloudy about His message. It is crystal clear. He loves His people! When they wander, He cares and He prioritizes them, so much so, that He searches for them until He finds them.
So here are a few brief observations about our Good Shepherd.
The truth is, without a shepherd the sheep will die. They need their shepherd. Is it any wonder that Jesus chose to call us sheep? Life is better when sheep live close to their shepherd; and life is always better for you and me when we stay close to Jesus. HE IS THE GREAT SHEPHERD.
Here’s what I love about Jesus: There is not one of us who has not wandered away, and there is not one of us that God has not desired to save. He knows our name, and when He calls our name, and we come, He is ready to celebrate with exuberant joy.
If you ever just sit and watch them, you may notice that sheep are not aggressive animals. They munch on a tuft of grass here, and a tuft of grass there, and then another, and another—not paying attention to where they’re going. Sheep, relatively speaking, are not smart and they are certainly not self-sufficient. They are actually very vulnerable animals. They need shepherds to protect, guide them, and to feed them. With this tendency to wander, and total lack of instinct for self-defense, they are easy prey. Before they know it they have unintentionally wandered away, and without their shepherd they find themselves in trouble and danger.
You may identify as one of God’s sheep. At some point, you may have become busy with college studies, relationships, your profession, raising kids, making money, or just doing life. This is especially true during summer months when we add athletic events, vacation days, and lazy summer days. All of these are just tufts of grass that sheep eat and without paying attention, you find you have wandered from God just like Bible says, “All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.”
There are many things I love about Jesus, but one thing that is very dear to me is the fact that Jesus loves and pursues wanderers. Perhaps this is dear to me, because I, myself, have wandered.
Jesus once said, “I AM the good shepherd.” He said, “The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” He told how the shepherd left the 99 sheep that were safe and searched for the one that was lost.
There is nothing cloudy about His message. It is crystal clear. He loves His people! When they wander, He cares and He prioritizes them, so much so, that He searches for them until He finds them.
So here are a few brief observations about our Good Shepherd.
- All sheep wander, but not all wander at the same time. The lesson of leaving the 99 to find the 1 in Matthew 18 isn’t that very FEW wander, but rather Jesus loves everyone, even when they wander. We all wander! It is the nature of sheep, and it is the nature of human beings as well.
- Sometimes we are lost and we don’t know it. Sheep never intend to be lost. Only when they are surrounded by vicious wolves do they realize they have wandered. Life has away of showing you how lost, vulnerable, and in need of help you are.
- Jesus speaks to wanderers and they recognize His voice. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice and I call them by name.” The shepherds gave their sheep pet names. Jesus said, “I know their name, and when I call their name they recognize my voice.” Have you wandered? Are you hearing the voice of your Shepherd calling your name?
- For sheep, life is always better close to the Shepherd. Close to the shepherd they are fed, watered, protected, and rested. The shepherd knows where the best grass is, and will lead the sheep to the cleanest and best water, and will find for them the most serene place to lie down and rest.
The truth is, without a shepherd the sheep will die. They need their shepherd. Is it any wonder that Jesus chose to call us sheep? Life is better when sheep live close to their shepherd; and life is always better for you and me when we stay close to Jesus. HE IS THE GREAT SHEPHERD.
Here’s what I love about Jesus: There is not one of us who has not wandered away, and there is not one of us that God has not desired to save. He knows our name, and when He calls our name, and we come, He is ready to celebrate with exuberant joy.
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