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Sheep Thoughts
by Susanne Scheppmann
Key
Verse;
“I
myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign
Lord.” Ezekiel 34:15 (NIV)
Devotion:
Our car came to a complete stop on the winding
mountain road. The herd of sheep meandered across the highway. They sashayed
their way across the road to munch on a few mouthfuls of grass. The shepherd
tried to hurry them across the asphalt, but to no avail.
Although several cars were delayed on their way up
to Bryce National Park, no one seemed to mind. The people in the cars enjoyed
watching the unexpected wooly spectacle—sheep and their shepherd making their
way through life.
As we waited for the road to clear, my imagination
took over. Thoughts floated through my mind—sheep thoughts.
Sheep thought: “I belong to no one.”
The Shepherd says,
“You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your
God, says the Sovereign Lord.” (Ezekiel 34:31 NLT)
Sheep
thought: “I am lost.”
The Shepherd says,
“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep
and look after them.” (Ezekiel 34:11 NIV)
Sheep thought: “No
one cares.”
The Shepherd says,
“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because
they were like sheep without a shepherd. Mark 6:34 (NIV)
Sheep thought: “I am
afraid.”
The Shepherd says,
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
(John 10:11 NIV)
Sheep thought: “This
is my shepherd!”
The Shepherd says,
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” John 10:14
(NIV)
Final
sheep thought:
The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in
green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet
waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of
righteousness
for his name's sake.
(Psalm 23:1-3 NIV)
The
road clears and we drive on . . . life
goes on . . .
What
are your sheep thoughts? Do you know the Good Shepherd?
Prayer:
Dear Lord, help me to listen to Your voice. Teach me to
follow you in complete trust and obedience. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Application
steps:
Memorize
Psalm 23. As you memorize it, ponder how each verse applies to your life.
Reflections:
Why
do I feel alone and uncared for?
Do
I listen for the voice of my Shepherd?
How
has the Shepherd taken care of me in the past?
Power
verses:
Hebrews 13:20-21, “May the God of peace, who
through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord
Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for
doing his will.” (NIV)
1
Peter 2:25, “For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to
the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (NIV)
© 2008 by Susanne Scheppmann. All rights reserved.
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