Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 23 April 2013
Hi all,
Do you remember the nursery
rhyme, Mary had a little lamb. Its fleece was white
as snow; and everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go. It’s
just about unforgettable. It’s probably the first nursery rhyme most of us
learned. I’ve got a vague memory of it from Pre-Primary School in Durban.
It’s thought to be an original
poem by an American lady, Sarah Josepha Hale on May 24, 1830. Apparently it was
inspired by an actual incident.
It’s not difficult to transpose
this nursery rhyme into a Christian context. Mary did have a little lamb; the
baby Jesus Christ. The Robe of Righteousness of this lamb was a robe of
perfection; as white as the driven snow. As a good mother, Mary would have made
sure Jesus was close to her at all times until he was weaned and went from a
baby to a child. Jesus grew up and is
now the Great Shepherd. His sheep follow Him; those who don’t can get lost, or
be eaten by ravenous wolves. As Christians we must follow Mary’s lamb – the
Lamb of God.
Today’s meditation concerns
being a sheep and a shepherd.
Shalom,
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Tuesday,
23 April 2013
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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©
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These
devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright
protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it
is for non-commercial Christian purposes
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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HOW
ARE YOUR SHEEP?
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Isaiah warned us that we are like a flock of sheep
who have wandered off and are lost. I first read this with mixed feelings. To
liken us to sheep is hardly complimentary. To me, a lion or a bear seems much
more appropriate. In the world of flying things I felt we would be best
described as an eagle. But after reflecting on this for a while, the truth
dawned on me. We really are like a flock of sheep. We are oblivious of any
danger and with a willingness to wander and get lost! Isaiah was “right on”.
Later, when I found that David shared Isaiah’s opinion, it was confirmed. The
clincher was Jesus. “My sheep hear My voice” He stated. I really couldn’t quibble
any longer. “Baaah” was my response.
Looking back over my own life, the truth of the
statement becomes abundantly clear. Christians, in general and me in
particular, consistently pursue our own agenda and tell others, “The Lord
said!” The fact that He has had to rescue me from blind alleys and deliberate
disobedience, more often than I care to admit, is a fact of life. I suppose
my “sheep-life” embarrasses me.
Today, I’m rather glad the Lord called us sheep.
People talk of a “dumb ox” or a “stupid sheep”. He knows all about my life
and my willingness to do my own thing. In a glorious way, it seems He expects
it.
I don’t like speaking about the Lord’s expectations.
To me when you are omniscient, as He is, He knows what we are going to do.
It’s not a matter of expectations. If I know for an absolute fact that
something is going to happen on Saturday, it’s not an expectation. It’s foreknowledge.
What is particularly beautiful to me is that I am
His sheep and He is my Shepherd. Phyllida and I are constantly doing our very
best to hear His voice. With both of us listening, these days we “miss it”
less than we used to.
It’s comforting to know that His sheep hear His
voice. It’s even more comforting, that His little lambs are still learning to
hear His voice. Indeed, they plod along after the rest of the flock, learning
to attune their ears to the voice of the Shepherd.
One of the wonderful things about being a sheep is
that it’s the sheep that produce the lambs! The shepherd is not responsible for
reproduction within His flock. That’s the sheep’s responsibility. It’s your
job and mine to bring new sheep into the flock. Sure, He will help. But the responsibility
is yours and mine.
The other thing that thrills me about being a sheep
is that I can trust my Shepherd. He will never leave me nor desert me!
Jim and Phyllida
Strickland
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6 We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten
lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And GOD has
piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him.
Isaiah 53:6
MSG
8 If we claim that we're free of sin, we're only fooling
ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. 9 On the
other hand, if we admit our sins--make a clean breast of them--he won't let
us down; he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all
wrongdoing.
1 John 1:8-9
MSG
10
As the Scriptures say, "No one is
righteous--not even one. 11 No
one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. 12 All have turned away; all have become useless.
No one does good, not a single one."
Romans 3:10-12 NLT
25 You were like lost sheep. Now you have come back to the
shepherd and bishop of your lives.
1 Peter 2:25
GW
176 I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant,
for I have not forgotten your commands.
Psalms
119:176 NIV
3 He renews my soul. He guides me along the paths of
righteousness for the sake of his name.
Psalms 23:3
GW
27
"My sheep listen to my voice. I know them,
and they follow me. 28 I give
them eternal life, and they will never die. No one can steal them out of my hand.
John
10:27-28 NIrV
4 He said, "Suppose one of you has 100 sheep and
loses one of them. Won't he leave the 99 in the open country? Won't he go and
look for the one lost sheep until he finds it?
Luke 15:4
NIrV
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Of
all the animals to choose, the sheep is not the best.
The
Lord says we are like them. A curse, or are we blessed?
It
hard to understand it. Sheep are not very clever.
Do
they think of the future? The answer’s surely “never”.
They
seldom think of anything. They wander where they choose.
And
when the predator appears, they just ignore the news.
They
keep on nibbling the grass. It seems they do not care,
That
something is pursuing them. They’re surely not aware,
Of
the impending danger. They simply chew and chew.
Even
if a lion, or bear comes into view,
It
doesn’t seem to bother them; then one gets an alarm!
They
think if they are scattering, they’ll keep away from harm!
They
have no self-protection. They have no teeth at all.
Except
a set of grinders, that seems to be too small.
They
do not have a set of horns, except perhaps the rams.
And
they don’t have a system of caring for the lambs.
They
stand in line awaiting the flashing butcher’s knife.
They
clearly do not understand the threat upon their life.
They
seem to want to give themselves and offer up their throat.
So
when it comes to “stupid” they surely get my vote.
This
isn’t complimentary and Jesus says that we,
Are
like these foolish creatures. Could it be you or me?
Well
let’s just think about it; does it describe us well?
I
think perhaps it really does, as best as I can tell.
How
often are we listening to hear the Master’s voice?
And
when it comes to feeding, do we display a choice?
We
still insist on going where we have always been;
And
seldom seem to bother if the pasture’s good and clean!
And
what about the water? What do we think today?
Do
we resist the Holy Ghost and turn ourselves away,
From
looking at the Word of God to check out what’s the truth?
Are
we growing spiritually, or are we still a youth?
Are
we standing in a line, listening to men,
Queuing
up for slaughter in some false prophets den?
Do
we know our Shepherd and hear the things He says?
Or
listening to a charlatan and following his ways?
What
is our condition? Bleeding, ripped and torn?
What
about the little lambs who’ve only just been born?
Are
we in a program? Do our leaders care,
If
we are attending or wandered off elsewhere?
Do
you have a ministry; is it being used?
Are
you being helpful or feeling you’re abused?
Are
you contributing in the place you meet each week?
Or
just another visitor who’s not allowed to speak?
Are
you now a shepherd without a flock to lead?
Then
now’s the time to find them and help each one to feed.
Jim Strickland
Written
23rd
April 2012
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