Are You a JOYful Sheep?

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Or do you feel so weak and tired that you can hardly lift your glass? 

            The 23^rd Psalm tells us “the Lord is our Shepherd” and to rest by letting Him lead us by those “still waters” and by lying down in the green pastures He provides. 

            How does a shepherd lead his sheep? First of all the sheep must recognize the shepherd’s voice; and they must trust him!  Phillip Keller gives us insight: "The strange thing about sheep," he writes, "is that because of their very make-up it is almost impossible to make them lie down unless four requirements are met:

·        Because of their timid nature they refuse to lie down unless they are free from all fear.

·        Because of the social behavior within a flock, sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction with others

·        If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down. Only when free of these pests can they relax.

·        Lastly, sheep will not lie down as long as they feel hungry."

            How does this apply to us spiritually?  We must recognize God’s voice and trust Him…our Shepherd …so that we are free from fear. We must allow him to take care of all our pesky problems and our physical needs.  “When troubles come, and the enemy assaults us, it is so easy to get our eyes off God and obsess over our problems. But as our Shepherd, God faithfully guards and guides His sheep, and provides for us.” 

 

           May we always listen to the Shepherd ….. as he leads us down the path of JOY!

JOY NOTE: Notice that the 23rd Psalm begins with "the Lord," and ends with "the Lord forever." Let us keep our eyes on Him from start to finish!