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“Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” – Matthew 9:36
Oftentimes the Bible refers to God’s chosen people as sheep, animals that are so clueless and fragile they need to be led to green pastures, protected from predators and watched after constantly. At first thought, it sounds insulting, but further investigation reveals that Jesus knew exactly what He was talking about!
Think about it. We mimic sheep perfectly. We’re curious about the unknown, have strong wills and often are unaware of surrounding dangers that lurk within our midst. We wander off into uncharted territory only to discover it wasn’t the Shepherd’s will for us and end up having to be carried back to the flock. We don’t know where greener pastures are or much less what they look like. Oh, how Isaiah was right when he said, “we all, like sheep, have gone astray”!
Sheep without a shepherd will eventually be eaten by predators when they wander off to places unknown. Moses understood this as he was conversing with the Lord in Numbers 27:17. He was concerned the Israelites would be like sheep without a shepherd when they entered into the Promised Land. He asked God to provide a good shepherd to lead them as they carried out His will and purpose. God provided Joshua, the Hebrew equivalent of Jesus. Joshua, with the Lord’s help, gave protection, provisions, and prosperity to the flock God gave him.
The good news for us today is that we belong to Christ. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27). We have the greatest Shepherd of all, Jesus Christ. Like good sheep, we need to heed His voice, His promptings, and His Word if we desire to be led to greener pastures. We need to listen to His calling when we face adversity and despair. Otherwise, as Jesus said in Matthew, we will be distressed and dispirited. Our hearts will be distraught.
Yes, we are just dumb sheep! However, with the guidance of our great Shepherd, we will be protected from ravenous spiritual predators. Our needs will be met as Jesus provides for us. And we can rest assured that greener pastures lay ahead of us as Jesus gently guides us to the Kingdom of God. Not a “baaaad” deal, huh?
Eyes on Christ!
Dave
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