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.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Jehovah - Rohi...The Lord is our Shepherd
The first time the Lord reveals his name to us is through the man after His own heart, David, in Psalms 23. "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
In this Psalm, "David expresses himself as ...a sheep. Knowing the reputation of sheep, not so bright, no leadership qualities, (they are followers) and ultimately dependent on another for their survival. David speaks in humility. David the sheep...is satisfied. In researching the life of a sheep, sheep are skittish, easily frightened, and tend to wander. They will only calm down when all their needs are met. And Who is meeting these needs? The Shepherd. David is saying, 'in my relationship with God, He satisfies all of me, my needs and my wants."
David also gives us a glimpse "of the Shepherd in the sheeps's life. We see the willingness to follow the Shepherd's working. The sheep is being made to lie down, rest, he is being lead beside quiet (still) waters. An interesting fact about the 'quiet, still' waters, the sheep will drown in swift water. Their wool is like a sponge that absorbs the water so that the sheep cannot swim out, so they are taken to a place that does not hold a potential threat."
"As the Shepherd provides for the sheep, as wonderful as this is, yet there is something that stands out...verse 6 'Surely goodness and love (mercy, loving-kindness) will follow me all the days of my life', as I looked at this in the original Hebrew, I was again reminded just to what lengths God will go to to get our attention. David speaks of the Shepherd's goodness and love, this action towards us meaning...God's loyalty, commitment...devotion. But God, the Shepherd does not stop with merely presenting us with His devotion...His devotion will 'follow me'. The word picture described is, God's favor chasing down the one whom He loves. It is NOT passive in the sense that God is tagging along behind us. NO, it is aggressive...He is hunting us down. Ever felt that way? In knowing this, we can stop and allow Him to catch us. He is motivated out of love. 1
So as you think about God's loyalty, His devotion to you, stop and take a moment and praise God for loving you so much that He is willing to chase after you to keep you safe and secure. Maybe you just need to realize you can't outrun the Shepherd and today is the day He longs to hear you call upon Him. He knows you by name and is waiting to shepherd you.
1 Devotions by DeDe, Knowing God by His Names.
In this Psalm, "David expresses himself as ...a sheep. Knowing the reputation of sheep, not so bright, no leadership qualities, (they are followers) and ultimately dependent on another for their survival. David speaks in humility. David the sheep...is satisfied. In researching the life of a sheep, sheep are skittish, easily frightened, and tend to wander. They will only calm down when all their needs are met. And Who is meeting these needs? The Shepherd. David is saying, 'in my relationship with God, He satisfies all of me, my needs and my wants."
David also gives us a glimpse "of the Shepherd in the sheeps's life. We see the willingness to follow the Shepherd's working. The sheep is being made to lie down, rest, he is being lead beside quiet (still) waters. An interesting fact about the 'quiet, still' waters, the sheep will drown in swift water. Their wool is like a sponge that absorbs the water so that the sheep cannot swim out, so they are taken to a place that does not hold a potential threat."
"As the Shepherd provides for the sheep, as wonderful as this is, yet there is something that stands out...verse 6 'Surely goodness and love (mercy, loving-kindness) will follow me all the days of my life', as I looked at this in the original Hebrew, I was again reminded just to what lengths God will go to to get our attention. David speaks of the Shepherd's goodness and love, this action towards us meaning...God's loyalty, commitment...devotion. But God, the Shepherd does not stop with merely presenting us with His devotion...His devotion will 'follow me'. The word picture described is, God's favor chasing down the one whom He loves. It is NOT passive in the sense that God is tagging along behind us. NO, it is aggressive...He is hunting us down. Ever felt that way? In knowing this, we can stop and allow Him to catch us. He is motivated out of love. 1
So as you think about God's loyalty, His devotion to you, stop and take a moment and praise God for loving you so much that He is willing to chase after you to keep you safe and secure. Maybe you just need to realize you can't outrun the Shepherd and today is the day He longs to hear you call upon Him. He knows you by name and is waiting to shepherd you.
1 Devotions by DeDe, Knowing God by His Names.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Aunt Sally's Little Lambs
When Jesus speaks of His relationship with His sheep, He points to the intimacy He knows with those who belong to Him. He also reveals how He leads and guides His sheep - His sheep hear His voice calling them by name, and then in the hearing of His instructions, they follow Him (John 10:1-18). Two questions present themselves to those who are in the church, the body of Christ: Do you know your Shepherd intimately, and do you hear His Word? Clearly, Jesus wants intimacy with you, and He wants you to know His voice and hear what He has to say. This is a wake-up call: "Church, are you intimate with your Shepherd, and are you opening the pages of His Word to hear Him speak?"
Catherine Martin, author of Knowing and Loving the Bible, tells a story about her friends Aunt Sally that I absolutely must share with you...
Aunt Sally ran quickly to the barn as the ewes were giving birth to the lambs. Sally's husband, Ray, put her in charge of the bum lambs, those lambs that were rejected by their mothers, a common occurance with ewes who had multiple births. Bum lambs were hand raised by the ranchers until they were grown and assimilated into the general flock of sheep. Aunt Sally took the first little lamb, rejected by its mother, cradled him close to her, and rubbed him down with an old towel. She noticed two little humps on its head where horns would eventually grow and whispered softly, "I'll call you Buckaroo."
Just then, her husband opened the door of the kitchen, "I can't understand it," he said. "These ewes are so stubborn - here are two more who need your special care." She picked up one of the little lambs, "You'll be Fluffy, she informed him as she rubbed him down, fluffing up the wool. She gathered up the third little lamb. "With these short little legs," she said, "who could you be but Stumpy!" Just as she finished drying and feeding her three little special lambs, Ray came through the door with one more bum and said, ""This is the last one." Aunt Sally washed him, fed him, and called him Lefty because he was the only one left.
For the next few weeks, Aunt Sally cared for her little lambs, calling them each by their names many times a day. She grew attached to them as they played, ate, and slept in the yard of the ranch house. Aunt Sally reluctantly let her lambs join the rest of the sheep to go with the ranch hands to the summer pasture.
One day, at the end of summer, she heard the noise of the sheep coming home. She ran to find her lambs, forgetting how different they would look after three months. When she looked out over all the sheep, she could not distinquish one from another. Then, an idea came to Aunt Sally. She leaned against the fence and began calling her lambs by name. "Fluffy!" "Stumpy!" "Buckaroo!" "Lefty!" Over and over again she called out their names. One by one, three sheep made their way over to the fence. She could clearly distinquish all three. "Why, I know you, you are Buckaroo - those little horns are growing...Here's Fluffy, with all that wool...And this has to be Stumpy!" she exclaimed. "But where's Lefty?" She called again, but it was apparent that Lefty's ears had grown dull to the voice of the shepherdess.
There is a great lesson in this true story for all of us. Those three sheep knew the voice of their shepherd so well. Do you know you Lord, your good Shepherd, or are you like Lefty, whose ears had grown dull? When you spend time in God's Word, you will grow accustomed to hearing His voice and recognize His call to you. Sadly, there are too many in the church whose hearing has grown dull. No wonder Jesus often said, "If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear".
If you have never discovered the excitement of opening the Bible and hearing your Shepherd speak to you, then as Ran quoted Jesus on Sunday, "Wake up!" Run to Him, His Word and get to know the voice of Jehovah Rohi.
Catherine Martin, author of Knowing and Loving the Bible, tells a story about her friends Aunt Sally that I absolutely must share with you...
Aunt Sally ran quickly to the barn as the ewes were giving birth to the lambs. Sally's husband, Ray, put her in charge of the bum lambs, those lambs that were rejected by their mothers, a common occurance with ewes who had multiple births. Bum lambs were hand raised by the ranchers until they were grown and assimilated into the general flock of sheep. Aunt Sally took the first little lamb, rejected by its mother, cradled him close to her, and rubbed him down with an old towel. She noticed two little humps on its head where horns would eventually grow and whispered softly, "I'll call you Buckaroo."
Just then, her husband opened the door of the kitchen, "I can't understand it," he said. "These ewes are so stubborn - here are two more who need your special care." She picked up one of the little lambs, "You'll be Fluffy, she informed him as she rubbed him down, fluffing up the wool. She gathered up the third little lamb. "With these short little legs," she said, "who could you be but Stumpy!" Just as she finished drying and feeding her three little special lambs, Ray came through the door with one more bum and said, ""This is the last one." Aunt Sally washed him, fed him, and called him Lefty because he was the only one left.
For the next few weeks, Aunt Sally cared for her little lambs, calling them each by their names many times a day. She grew attached to them as they played, ate, and slept in the yard of the ranch house. Aunt Sally reluctantly let her lambs join the rest of the sheep to go with the ranch hands to the summer pasture.
One day, at the end of summer, she heard the noise of the sheep coming home. She ran to find her lambs, forgetting how different they would look after three months. When she looked out over all the sheep, she could not distinquish one from another. Then, an idea came to Aunt Sally. She leaned against the fence and began calling her lambs by name. "Fluffy!" "Stumpy!" "Buckaroo!" "Lefty!" Over and over again she called out their names. One by one, three sheep made their way over to the fence. She could clearly distinquish all three. "Why, I know you, you are Buckaroo - those little horns are growing...Here's Fluffy, with all that wool...And this has to be Stumpy!" she exclaimed. "But where's Lefty?" She called again, but it was apparent that Lefty's ears had grown dull to the voice of the shepherdess.
There is a great lesson in this true story for all of us. Those three sheep knew the voice of their shepherd so well. Do you know you Lord, your good Shepherd, or are you like Lefty, whose ears had grown dull? When you spend time in God's Word, you will grow accustomed to hearing His voice and recognize His call to you. Sadly, there are too many in the church whose hearing has grown dull. No wonder Jesus often said, "If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear".
If you have never discovered the excitement of opening the Bible and hearing your Shepherd speak to you, then as Ran quoted Jesus on Sunday, "Wake up!" Run to Him, His Word and get to know the voice of Jehovah Rohi.
Monday, November 17, 2008
23
Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, [a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Trusting My Great Master
I so hope this post finds you well! I am so excited to share with you a different aspect of our relationship with Adonai. I love author and Bible Study teacher, Mary Kassain. She recently wrote something concerning the topic of the faithfulness of our Lord [Adonai] that I wanted to share with you. When we consider the master-servant relationship, we often focus on a servant's responsibility to follow and obey. But wouldn't it be refreshing and encouraging to focus for a moment instead on the responsibility of a master? What does a good master contribute to the master-servant relationship? Read what she wrote;
"The Bible teaches that the relationship between a master and servant begins with the master." Think about that for a minute... "Jewish servants were considered members of their master's households; their masters extended them both protection and privilege. Masters were responsible for meeting their servants' needs for food, shelter, clothing, and other necessities. Masters also provided training, instruction, guidance, and accountability for the work of their servants. They promoted faithful servants to positions of great authority and responsibility."
Adonai, our Great Master, is faithful to meet our needs. He can be trusted to meet our needs as we serve Him over and over and over again. Let's just look at some of the many things Adnoai does for His servants:
* He looses their bonds (Ps. 116:16)
* He daily bears their burdens (Ps. 68:19)
* He is good to them and forgives them (Ps. 86: 4-5)
* He is merciful and gracious to them ( Ps. 86:15)
* He is abounding in love and faithfulness to them (Ps. 86:15)
* He gives His strength to them (Ps. 86:16)
* He is their helper and upholds their lives (Ps 54:4)
* He makes them glad (Ps. 86:4)
Reading these reminders, no wonder David exclaimed to the Lord, "You are my [Adonai]; I have no good apart from you" (Ps. 16:2).
Why don't you take a minute and go through the above points and replace them and their with my and me. It is so refreshing to remind yourself of how faithful your Master is to you.
My Great Master,
"To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God." It is to You, that I do lift up my eyes, and praise You for your faithfulness to me. Even when I am faithless, You are faithful. Thank you for reminding me today of so many of the ways You prove yourself trustworthy and attentive to my needs. Even the needs I don't know I have, You are faithful to meet. I exalt you, God, as Adonai, my Great Master. May You find your servant faithful to You today.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
**Please take a minute today and leave a comment about how faithful your Master has been to you as you serve Him**
"The Bible teaches that the relationship between a master and servant begins with the master." Think about that for a minute... "Jewish servants were considered members of their master's households; their masters extended them both protection and privilege. Masters were responsible for meeting their servants' needs for food, shelter, clothing, and other necessities. Masters also provided training, instruction, guidance, and accountability for the work of their servants. They promoted faithful servants to positions of great authority and responsibility."
Adonai, our Great Master, is faithful to meet our needs. He can be trusted to meet our needs as we serve Him over and over and over again. Let's just look at some of the many things Adnoai does for His servants:
* He looses their bonds (Ps. 116:16)
* He daily bears their burdens (Ps. 68:19)
* He is good to them and forgives them (Ps. 86: 4-5)
* He is merciful and gracious to them ( Ps. 86:15)
* He is abounding in love and faithfulness to them (Ps. 86:15)
* He gives His strength to them (Ps. 86:16)
* He is their helper and upholds their lives (Ps 54:4)
* He makes them glad (Ps. 86:4)
Reading these reminders, no wonder David exclaimed to the Lord, "You are my [Adonai]; I have no good apart from you" (Ps. 16:2).
Why don't you take a minute and go through the above points and replace them and their with my and me. It is so refreshing to remind yourself of how faithful your Master is to you.
My Great Master,
"To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God." It is to You, that I do lift up my eyes, and praise You for your faithfulness to me. Even when I am faithless, You are faithful. Thank you for reminding me today of so many of the ways You prove yourself trustworthy and attentive to my needs. Even the needs I don't know I have, You are faithful to meet. I exalt you, God, as Adonai, my Great Master. May You find your servant faithful to You today.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
**Please take a minute today and leave a comment about how faithful your Master has been to you as you serve Him**
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Servants for Life
Of the three primary names for God (two of which we have looked at over the past weeks), Adonia is probably the hardest to hold fast too. We trust Christ to save us for all eternity but not to control the details of our everyday life. In thinking about my relationship with my Great Master, I needed to grasp the master-servant relationship. In the Old Testament a Hebrew servant was required to serve his master for six years (Exodus 21:2-6). However, his master was to set him free in the seventh year without requiring any payment for freedom. But then, if the servant loved his master and did not want to go free, he could choose to continue serving his master. To seal the relationship, the master brought his servant before judges, took him to a doorpost, and pierced his ear with an awl, signifying lifelong ownership. The slave who loved his master was now his servant for life.
Stop and think about that picture for a moment. I would be willing to bet your mind is drifting toward Christ Jesus.
If you and I want to understand what it means to serve Adonai, we must look at the example of Jesus and how He lived His life on earth. Jesus "made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross" (Phil 2:7-8). Jesus served His Father and delighted to do His will. Because of Jesus' obedience to God, "he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." (Is.53:5).
You and I are meant to be God's servant. As Jesus told His Father, "I have come to do your will, O God." (Hebrews 10:7). Adonai is looking for those servants who will say "Here I am."
What if this was the seventh year for you serving your Master. Do you love Adonai so much that you would ask him to pierce your ear to signify that you are His forever?
Stop and think about that picture for a moment. I would be willing to bet your mind is drifting toward Christ Jesus.
If you and I want to understand what it means to serve Adonai, we must look at the example of Jesus and how He lived His life on earth. Jesus "made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross" (Phil 2:7-8). Jesus served His Father and delighted to do His will. Because of Jesus' obedience to God, "he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." (Is.53:5).
You and I are meant to be God's servant. As Jesus told His Father, "I have come to do your will, O God." (Hebrews 10:7). Adonai is looking for those servants who will say "Here I am."
What if this was the seventh year for you serving your Master. Do you love Adonai so much that you would ask him to pierce your ear to signify that you are His forever?
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
As I was praying this morning, I was telling the Lord how I want so much to surrender EVERY fiber of my being and I know there are divided parts of my heart because in the quietness of my time before Him, I am surrendered, but when the distractions come I am so easy led away from Him. And immediately, I saw a picture of Allie, our white german shephard,in my mind. God just gave me a picture of how we handle the distractions that come our way.
Allie went to obedience school and was the STAR! Out of 13 dogs she only had to be shown a trick once and she just got it! It was pretty extraordinary for a puppy! When she is at home in the kitchen or living room she just pops those tricks out like they are ingrained in her; but, let her outside and Molly and Murphy (her best friends) come around and you can tell her sit, stay, down, shake, stand, heel, and she acts like she is deaf running around wrestling with her friends! I have to physically get her attention, get eye to eye, and tell her the command. Then she will do what I say, but it is short-lived and with frustration that she does it.
But, according to her trainer, that's why part of her training included distractions, so she could learn obedience regardless of the distractions around her. It takes practice in the very surroundings that give her trouble in order for her to get it right.
Wow! It takes a conscious effort by me, in the very places that give me trouble, in order for me to have an undivided heart, totally surrendered to my Adonai. Each day I must choose to serve God regardless of the distractions. You see, some of the distractions in our days are beyond our control, but how we respond to those distractions certainly is.
Intentional, deliberate and committed to serving My Master, Adonai. How about you?
Have a great day!
Allie went to obedience school and was the STAR! Out of 13 dogs she only had to be shown a trick once and she just got it! It was pretty extraordinary for a puppy! When she is at home in the kitchen or living room she just pops those tricks out like they are ingrained in her; but, let her outside and Molly and Murphy (her best friends) come around and you can tell her sit, stay, down, shake, stand, heel, and she acts like she is deaf running around wrestling with her friends! I have to physically get her attention, get eye to eye, and tell her the command. Then she will do what I say, but it is short-lived and with frustration that she does it.
But, according to her trainer, that's why part of her training included distractions, so she could learn obedience regardless of the distractions around her. It takes practice in the very surroundings that give her trouble in order for her to get it right.
Wow! It takes a conscious effort by me, in the very places that give me trouble, in order for me to have an undivided heart, totally surrendered to my Adonai. Each day I must choose to serve God regardless of the distractions. You see, some of the distractions in our days are beyond our control, but how we respond to those distractions certainly is.
Intentional, deliberate and committed to serving My Master, Adonai. How about you?
Have a great day!
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