Hammer on Anvil '

I immediately was reminded of the weeks I spent backstage, taking care of the livestock for the church's embarrassingly pricey Easter cantata. Hired ribbon dancers, musicians and animals were all brought in for the extensive hoopla. Due to my facial piercings and heart monitor, I was placed behind the scenes and told to keep sheep quiet during the show. What I learned in those two weeks was life changing.

Let me be clear: The Lord was paying us no compliments by calling us sheep. Cute as they may be, sheep are incredibly stupid. After their big scene, we ushered the panicked little things backstage, down the hall and out the side door to a fenced in area of fresh air and newly sprouting spring grass. Most of the animals moseyed out and nibbled the greenery, no problem, but the sheep stood panic-stricken and cried. For the younger lambs we were instructed to give them tiny bottles of milk in hopes to calm them down. That almost made them worse. They cried, kicked and flailed as you tried to get them to see the bottle that was directly in front of their face. They acted as if they would never eat again. I knew this wasn't their home, but they had everything they needed, and watching them scream and kick was immensely humbling. I couldn't help but think that this is how we believers act 90% of the time. God has given us everything that we need, but when it isn't what we expected, we throw a massive fit. 

Read Psalms 23:1-6 with me.

Friends, when the Lord is our Shepherd we lack for nothing because everything has already been provided. We are led to quiet, peaceful places and given the chance to rest. We are comforted by the Laws and we fear no evil because we trust our Shepherd. Goodness and love surround us because we walk so closely to Him. Our soul is refreshed through Him. And even in the darkest of situations we have hope in our Shepherd.

If this is not how you describe your walk with the Lord, then perhaps the Lord is not your Shepherd. And if it's not the Lord leading you, who the heck are you following? 

 Believers, it's time to admit to a humbling truth: We are sheep and we desperately need a Shepherd. In my walk I have become blatantly aware of how stupid I really am. For me, my guide is often my whiny, grumpy, selfish pride. Psalms 23 is the furthest thing from how my faith looks and feels. I am prone to wander, I panic easily and I complain most often, but I don't like admitting that I am a sheep, and there is my pride again. I prefer to believe I am a stunning individual, but regardless of what I prefer, the truth will not waiver: I am a sheep and I need a Shepherd.

 If we do not humble ourselves and seek the Lord we will eventually fall, fail and find ourselves wandering around crying, "Lord, Lord." Matthew 7:21 says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."  We can claim the Lord all the day is long, but if we never take the time to get to know Him, how could He know us? To put it simply, we are not in His flock, we are not His sheep, and when we aren't sheep, we are goats. And the Lord will say to us, "Depart from me I never knew you." Matthew 7:23

Friends, we better get real comfortable with the title of sheep, because that's what we need to be to have the Lord as our Shepherd. And, my goodness, do we ever need a Shepherd. Humble yourself and seek His guidance. Let Him lead you to a peaceful place of rest and love. It's not easy to admit to being a sheep, but I'll cheerfully take His guidance over my stupidity any day.Now it's your turn. Are you a sheep? Is the Lord your Shepherd?