Entry #7 Provision for strays :sheep that wander.
“All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one to his own way; these words found in Isaiah 53:6.
We were in Germany recently and the house in which we were staying was in a picturesque setting in a little town nestled in a valley and on the hillsides were flocks of grazing sheep. It was interesting to watch them as they ate; they seemed to be walking in a single file all in one direction and then after a while they would turn as if on cue and go in the opposite direction, grazing all the while, rather oblivious to their surroundings. And I thought how easy it would be for them to stray if that lead sheep decided to go out of his territory and get lost. It would depend on the rest of the flock whether or not they decided to follow or if they were content to stay in their own pasture. And a lot if not all would depend on the shepherd. Jesus said “My sheep know My voice.” He also said that HE Was the Good Shepherd (see previous blog) and the Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. That’s found in John chapter ten. Try verse 11. Then in verse 12, “But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 “The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep .” Jesus gave His life for the sheep. In fact back in Isaiah it says there in ch. 53 vs. 6 (that I purposely did not finish), “And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” LATER IN VERSE #10 it says that “it pleased the LORD to bruise Him.” “He has put Him to grief.” Why would it please the Father to bruise Him and put Him to grief? Because it meant your salvation and mine and He loves us so much that He would rather die than live without us …and if that doesn’t stir your soul then I am at a loss as to what will. “He poured out His soul unto death” “He was numbered with the lawbreakers(the transgressors) And He bore the sins of many.” AND GET THIS…..He made intercession for the lawbreakers (transgressors) Would you make intercession for those who were crucifying you? I’d be hard pressed to. But that is just what Jesus did. Remember when He was on the cross? He said “Father forgive them…they know not what they do.” Forgiveness is from God.
“All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one to his own way; these words found in Isaiah 53:6.
We were in Germany recently and the house in which we were staying was in a picturesque setting in a little town nestled in a valley and on the hillsides were flocks of grazing sheep. It was interesting to watch them as they ate; they seemed to be walking in a single file all in one direction and then after a while they would turn as if on cue and go in the opposite direction, grazing all the while, rather oblivious to their surroundings. And I thought how easy it would be for them to stray if that lead sheep decided to go out of his territory and get lost. It would depend on the rest of the flock whether or not they decided to follow or if they were content to stay in their own pasture. And a lot if not all would depend on the shepherd. Jesus said “My sheep know My voice.” He also said that HE Was the Good Shepherd (see previous blog) and the Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. That’s found in John chapter ten. Try verse 11. Then in verse 12, “But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 “The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep .” Jesus gave His life for the sheep. In fact back in Isaiah it says there in ch. 53 vs. 6 (that I purposely did not finish), “And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” LATER IN VERSE #10 it says that “it pleased the LORD to bruise Him.” “He has put Him to grief.” Why would it please the Father to bruise Him and put Him to grief? Because it meant your salvation and mine and He loves us so much that He would rather die than live without us …and if that doesn’t stir your soul then I am at a loss as to what will. “He poured out His soul unto death” “He was numbered with the lawbreakers(the transgressors) And He bore the sins of many.” AND GET THIS…..He made intercession for the lawbreakers (transgressors) Would you make intercession for those who were crucifying you? I’d be hard pressed to. But that is just what Jesus did. Remember when He was on the cross? He said “Father forgive them…they know not what they do.” Forgiveness is from God.
posted by Randall | 6:53 a.m.
2 Comments:
Hi Randall
GREAD WORD ,I HOPE AND PRAY THAT I WILL BE A SHEPHRED AND NOT A HIRELING WHEN IT COMES TO ANY LOST SHEEP.
THANKS FOR KEEPING ME THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE WORD TELLS US ABOUT FORGIVENESS.I NEED IT.
HOPE THIS WORKS THIS TIME
C.M.
Such good thoughts Randall. Forgiveness is a good subject. We all need it. Thanks for the encouragement.
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