During Pastor Randy's sermon on the 23rd Psalm this past Sunday, I was led to meditate on some things he spoke concerning verse 3;
" He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake."
Randy basically interpreted this scripture to mean "He [the Shepherd] leads me on the right path." He then preceded to explain that what makes the path right is not the absence of trouble but the presence of the Shepherd.
I was then reminded about an illustration I had once used in a Bible Study. We know that our Great Shepherd loves us and knows us by name. But too often we lose sight of the fact that He always has our best interests at heart. We rebel against His leading thinking that our own path is better. We are like sheep, always wanting the greener grass.
In the highlands of Scotland sheep often wander off into the rocks and get into places that they can't get out of. The grass on these mountains tastes very sweet, and the sheep like it. They will jump down ten or twelve feet to a ledge with a patch of grass, and then they can't jump back up again. The shepherd hears them bleating in distress. The shepherd may leave them there for days, until they have eaten all the grass and are so faint that they cannot stand. Only then will the shepherd put a rope around the sheep and pull them up out of the jaws of death.
"Why doesn't the shepherd attempt a rescue when the sheep first get into the predicament? The sheep are so foolish and so focused on eating that they would dash away from the shepherd, go over the precipice and destroy themselves. Our Good Shepherd knows what is best for us.
Spend a few moments thinking about the times you chose the wrong path looking for greener grass, and the ways you were steered back to the right path. Praise God for showing you that he knows what is best for you.
In tomorrow's devotion we will look at how the Shepherd must sometimes go to extraordinary lengths to protect His sheep from themselves and the unseen dangers they face.
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8 comments:
I have to admit that sometimes I come to two roads in the woods and I, I choose the one more traveled! The one that I shouldn't choose. I'm like Paul, the things I want to do I don't do and the things I don't want to do, I do. I'm thankful for God's mercy and grace.
Lord, I want to follow You and You alone! Help me to stay on Your path! Thank You for correcting me and leading me back when I wander off Your perfect path for me.
i was thinking yesterday about the verse that says "...i walk through the valley...". and it occured to me that it is really the only time in the whole passage that "i" is (am) leading. whenever it is peaceful and good, the Lord is leading, when it does mention the bad, lo and behold, look who is leading for themselves. boy, we get ourselves into so much trouble, dont we. be thankful today that we have a merciful God who rescues us when we lead ourselves instead of allowing Him to lead us. hope you are all having a great week.
Great illustration to remind us God will rescue us even from ourselves! Thanks for these. They are so encouraging and refreshing each day to meditate on. Oh, and don't be too concerned with the number of comments. We have had multiple thousands visit our site, but we've never gotten many comments!
I just pray that God will open my eyes and help me to see the "wrong paths." So many times lately it seems like the path is so "right" and such a "God path" only to discover later that it is NOT His path... I feel so much like the sheep right now. It sure looks like the right path and it's confusing that it is not the right path. However, I am learning that I have to trust my Shepherd even more. This blog has been great! Thanks to everyone!
Maybe its just me, but when I read about the path of God's righteousness for His Name's Sake, I think about a street (path) named for someone. If that is the case, then the path that I am on when I am following God is His path and one that He knows well. Who better to trust and follow along that path than the one whose name it bears? God's path for our redemption to righteusness was not trouble free. Jesus had to bear the cross. This path that I follow is not going to be trouble free, but at least, if I am following God, I can know that I am on the right path being led by the best guide. - Russ
I love that line of thinking, Russ. I've never thought of it in that way of thinking about traveling a street named after someone. How cool is that?!
" If we confess ( say the same thing God says )our sins ( strayings , following after luring but destructive paths )He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins ( God has limited Himself to have no choice but to lift our sins off of us when we come clean with Him and then He ) cleanses us from all unrighteousness ( anti-Godliness) 1 John 1:9 PTL
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