Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…”
John 10: I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.”
Yesterday I saw something which was quite sad but combined with two
things that I saw on our bike ride today on the Cowichan Valley Trail,
there is a definite lesson for me.
Yesterday afternoon I was sitting on a chair in our back yard and I
noticed that a paper wasp had landed on something small and pink. The
wasp stayed on the object for quite a time as though it was gathering
food. After it flew away I went over to see what the pink thing was,
and was sad to discover that it was a tiny baby bird. No feathers,
surely newly hatched. We have had quite a lot of wind lately, so I must
surmise that the baby was blown out of the nest. There was not a mark
on its little body so I don’t think that it was tossed out by the mother
or other siblings. I wondered at the brevity of this little life, and
it made me think of the verse from the book of Ecclesiastes concerning
the fact that there is a season and a time to everything. It was not
meant for this little bird to grow, and fledge and live a normal life.
Then today husband and I went for a bike ride on the Cowichan Valley
Trail. It has been a week since we have been there, and I was a little
shaky on the way up the trail. At one point I saw two bike riders
coming towards me from a distance so I stopped and got off my bike. It
was then that I noticed a big black beetle making its way across the
trail to the other side. I wondered whether or not it was going to
survive two bikes going by. As I watched, the first bike passed missing
the beetle by not more than an inch. The beetle turned 90 degrees to
the left and the second bike passed him by at a greater distance.
I remembered how the baby bird died very shortly after hatching, and
marveled at how this beetle had lived in the face of danger.
Husband and I travelled further up the trail and then turned around
and headed back. And about half-way back I noticed that husband had
stopped and then I saw that there were two sheep at the side of the
trail, grazing. I took several photographs of them and then remembered
John chapter 10, and the teaching about the Lord Jesus being the Good
Shepherd who cares for his sheep.
There was a lesson in all these things. That being, all things are
in God’s hands, he gives life, and he takes it away, the baby bird
died, I know not why, but the beetle lived. The Good Shepherd cares for
all. Sometimes we don’t understand why things happen, but God knows
and we just have to trust in him and in his sovereign will for all
creation.
Below is a photo of the pair of sheep.. my reminder of the Good Shepherd.
My husband always says that I go too slow on my bike, but which is
better? to go fast and miss all the things the Lord has to show me? or
to go slow and see them all. I will continue to ride slowly and marvel
at what the Lord has for me.
vcg/May 2016
The Good Shepherd
John 10: 1-11 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."
The Shepherd and his sheep is a beautiful picture taken from this world and applied many times to the relationship between God and his people, the shepherd and his flock of sheep. Many passages come to mind, Psalm 23:1 "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." God sometimes is pictured as a loving shepherd that feeds his flock, Isaiah 40:11 "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." We also know there are evil shepherds: Jeremiah 23:1 "Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD" When sheep are forsaken they easily become pray to wild animals, and then of course there is the Good Shepherd, the Messiah, Ezekiel 34:23 "And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd." Sheep need a shepherd. When you look up the word sheep in the dictionary one of the things it says is that sheep wander, they are defenceless when they wander because they are helpless and weak. They get into trouble when they wander. They don't understand why they get into trouble and to get out of trouble they need to go back to the flock they have left, back to the place they departed and until they do that they will always be in trouble. Sometimes the shepherd has to come and get them and lead them back. The rod is for rescuing, the staff is for discipline because sheep have to stay close to the Shepherd.
Are you a member of God's flock? if you are, do you wander away? How far do you wander? How many times has God had to bring you back? What will he do if you keep wandering?
