The Good Shepherd
Matthew 18:12-13 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.”
I’ve spent many years grazing in these barren fields with little to nourish my bones. For many days and many nights I have looked for peace and joy, but had to continue looking elsewhere in another place for it and never finding it. The heavy rains, harsh winds, and thick mud have taken their toll on my wool as I sojourned on my wayward way. My wool is blackened like tar, matted with knots, and completely unlike how a sheep should be.
This dark land is desolate with many others of my kind running to and fro in search of something better, but never finding it. It seems like all of us are looking for the same thing, so I resign myself to believing that this is all life can be. Yet, I feel trapped in these fields. But then I catch a glimpse of a light approaching.
The light moves through these empty fields illuminating us sheep in the darkness. Some of the sheep run away from the light in fear of leaving what they have come to love and know. As the light shines on me, I see my hooves are sinfully trapped. There is no life in this place. I cannot escape even though I try hard to break away from this entrapment, it’s of no avail. I start to despair, I worry the light will leave and I will be left here alone. Then I cry out to the light.
The Good Shepherd hears my cry and comes to me in His light. He looks at me in my sorrowful state and has compassion. He sees the sheep that I am and the sheep that I can be. He reaches down and breaks these chains off my hooves so that I can move freely.
In His arms, He lifts up me up and carries me out of this dark place. As He carries me, I begin to learn about Him and His ways. I soon see there is a raging river ahead of us. My instincts tremble in fear telling me to pull away and run back to what I know in those dark fields without life or joy. But I don’t break away from the Good Shepherd as I feel at peace in His arms. He leads us into the river and I willingly choose to go with Him. I close my eyes, I hold my breath, and we are submerged. It passes over us and around us until we emerge on the other side of the river.
I can finally breathe, I can finally see. My wool is clean. I am free.
He sets me down in His pastures and there I find life abundantly. In His pastures I walk in the light without fear. In Him I have found the way, the truth, and life. In His fields I live in joy. I never wish to leave His side, I never wish to stray from these fields.
My heart then begins to remember all those sheep who are alone in the darkness without hope. I know that what I have found in Him cannot be kept all for me. I cannot set them free, so I ask the Good Shepherd how we can help them find their way to His pastures. He then says “Follow Me.” I will follow this Good Shepherd, cooperate with His will, walk in His light, and see who else wants this Good Shepherd to set them free as He did for me.
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