I love the look of sheep. They’re wooly and round and perfectly content to nibble on grass for hours. Adorable, really.
But when the Bible says, “We are His people, the sheep of His pasture” {Psalm 100:3}, the Lord isn’t talking about how cute we are. He’s describing how needy we are.
Sheep can’t survive without a shepherd.
Sheep are creatures of habit and stubborn as well. Left on their own, sheep will eat grass until they reach the roots, then eat the roots, meaning the grass won’t grow back, and then they’ll start bleating, wondering where lunch went.
Meanwhile, fresh grass is waiting in the next pasture, if they’ll simply trust their shepherd and follow him.
It’s easy to shake our heads and say, “Sheep are definitely stupid.” Problem is, we do the same thing.
We spend money we haven’t earned, make commitments when our calendar is crammed, and pretend we know what’s best for us when we know zip.
All the while, our good Shepherd continues to guide and provide, assuring us, “I know my sheep and my sheep know me” {John 10:14}.
We do know You, Lord. Help us trust You. Help us follow You.
Sheep can’t stand on their own.
If they lower themselves to the ground with their legs tucked under them, sheep can easily scramble to their feet. But if they roll onto their backs and end up with all four legs in the air — “cast down,” shepherds call it — the poor things are stuck.
“Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” Exactly.
Without help, a cast-down sheep will eventually suffocate. It takes a skilled shepherd to restore a fallen ewe — massaging her legs, lifting her onto her feet, then steadying her until she regains her sense of balance.
That’s how Jesus restores us. When we stumble and fall, when we can’t get up, He is there to rescue us and help us stand.
“For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again” {Proverbs 24:16}.
Only because You pick us up, Lord. Only because You love us.
Sheep lose their way and run astray. Often.
We can’t even think of the word sheep in Scripture without also thinking of the words going astray.
Sheep wander off without meaning to, or become separated from the flock by marauding wolves. One moment sheep are safe, and the next they are not.
We’ve seen this pattern in our own lives. “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way” {Isaiah 53:6}. All means that no one gets it right on their own. Nope. Not one.
When Jesus compared His people to a flock of sheep, it wasn’t a compliment. It means we’re foolish and stubborn and lost without Him.
Lord, some of us went astray for years, decades. Even so, You found us. You saved us. Your rod and staff, they comfort us. Your quiet waters refresh our souls.
A daily reminder to store in our hearts: “You, Lord, are my shepherd. I will never be in need.” {Psalm 23:1, CEV}
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