from Scribbles in Spirit and Truth
Before you begin questioning the love of the Shepherd, take a closer look at the result of His actions. In ancient times, when a certain lamb developed the bad habit of consistently straying away from the Shepherd and endangering its life, the Shepherd would take the baby sheep that strayed and break one of its legs. He then would masterfully set the broken leg, lifting the lamb onto His able shoulders, carrying it until the leg had healed. During that time of close intimacy with the Shepherd that lamb would witness up close and personal the loving strength day by day as it simply rested upon the strong shoulders of the Shepherd to carry it through. Eventually when the lamb was able to bear its own wieght again it has become only natural to remain, draw near, and abide with the Shepherd.
I've heard Joyce Meyer tell this story in her 'the Lord is My Shepherd' teaching series, also. I highly recommend that series. It is a verse by verse, insightful, study into the correlations between Your Shepherding of us and sheep/shepherd relationships. Before you begin questioning the love of the Shepherd, take a closer look at the result of His actions. In ancient times, when a certain lamb developed the bad habit of consistently straying away from the Shepherd and endangering its life, the Shepherd would take the baby sheep that strayed and break one of its legs. He then would masterfully set the broken leg, lifting the lamb onto His able shoulders, carrying it until the leg had healed. During that time of close intimacy with the Shepherd that lamb would witness up close and personal the loving strength day by day as it simply rested upon the strong shoulders of the Shepherd to carry it through. Eventually when the lamb was able to bear its own wieght again it has become only natural to remain, draw near, and abide with the Shepherd.
I really like the harsh imagery of Your hope for our perfection, in relationship with You, outweighing any sqeamishness in choosing the means to bring us to You when we are persistently running from You. Through human parents, the most stubborn of us need to be 'made to lie down in green pastures,' oft times, yet we lose our grip on our parenting responsibility. I love that You are there to take up our 'slack' when we fail our sons and daughters, (or they wear us out with troublesome, repetitive choices ....). YOU still will choose to sit us down, as the perfect Shepherd that You are for us all. I know You have used this with me in more ways than one.
So, Thanks, Jesus. Teknon was with us for the first Christmas in 5 or 6 years... lost count. Mend his leg ALONG WITH his spirit, into Your loving Shepherding, for YOUR GLORY. Thanks for the best Christmas present in years. Bless Your heart, for blessing all of ours with his restoration to us.
YOU ARE
THE KING
OF ME !!!!
__________________
Bow'nDown
~~---->>> Love; from above and within, Shachah <<<----~~
<--~~~-->
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Strong's: 7812[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]~ hxX:[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] ~ [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Definition : [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]to bow down, prostrate oneself before superior in[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]homage; before God in worship;...[/FONT]
<--~~~-->
[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]You're sons of Light, daughters of Day.
[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. [FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]So let's not sleepwalk through life ...
[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]Since we're creatures of Day, let's act like it.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]faith, love, and the hope of salvation.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]1 THESSALONIANS 5:5...8 [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]~ The Message Remix ~[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]<--~~~-->[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
[/FONT]
THE KING
OF ME !!!!
__________________
Bow'nDown
~~---->>> Love; from above and within, Shachah <<<----~~
<--~~~-->
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Strong's: 7812[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]~ hxX:[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] ~ [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Definition : [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]to bow down, prostrate oneself before superior in[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]homage; before God in worship;...[/FONT]
<--~~~-->
[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]You're sons of Light, daughters of Day.
[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. [FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]So let's not sleepwalk through life ...
[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]Since we're creatures of Day, let's act like it.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]faith, love, and the hope of salvation.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]1 THESSALONIANS 5:5...8 [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]~ The Message Remix ~[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]<--~~~-->[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
[/FONT]
