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Trust The Shepherd

Sheep—dumb, defenseless, totally dependent on the goodness of the shepherd. Isn’t it interesting that Scripture chose this particular animal from all the animals on the planet to describe the people of God. Not bright enough, not strong enough, not sufficient enough to survive apart from the goodness of the Shepherd. So good is our Good Shepherd that he even laid down his life to provide eternal life for dumb, defenseless and dependent sheep like us—which proves that the Good Shepherd is always more than sufficient for his sheep. That’s why today we should listen to his voice and follow his command, for he will lead us to that place where he knows his sheep do best.

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 95 // Focus: Psalm 95:6-7

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…

Sheep. Not the brightest animal on the planet. In fact, some would call them downright dumb. They are defenseless, too. They have nothing within themselves to fight off their enemies. And not only are they dumb and defenseless, but precisely because they are dumb and defenseless, they are totally dependent on the goodness of the shepherd.

Sheep. That’s what we are. And from the description above, perhaps that is exactly why the writers of Scripture chose this particular animal from among all the animals on the planet to describe the people of God. Not bright enough, not strong enough, not sufficient enough to survive apart from the goodness of the Shepherd.

Yes, we are the flock under his care. And that is a good thing, because the care of our Good Shepherd has always been sufficient. There has never been a time when the Shepherd has not led us to green pastures or kept us on the safe path or stood guard over us through the night watch or preserved us from the attack of the enemy or brought us through the valley of the shadow of death. In fact, the Shepherd is so good that he even laid down his life to provide eternal life for dumb, defenseless and dependent sheep like us. There has never been a time when the Good Shepherd has not been more than sufficient for us, nor will there ever be.

So then, given the track record of the Shepherd’s goodness, why would we ever harden our hearts to the Good Shepherd’s voice? (Psalm 95:8-9) It doesn’t make sense, does it? And yet that is precisely what we do when we wander off on our own or want things that aren’t good for sheep or worry over stuff that the Shepherd has under his control (which is everything, by the way). I hate to admit it, but sometimes I am just a dumb sheep—and I have a feeling that you are, too.

But today is a new day, and you have a fresh reminder of the goodness and sufficiency of the Good Shepherd. So listen to his voice and follow his command, for he will lead you to that place where sheep do best.

Where is that? I don’t know—I am just a sheep, too. But the Shepherd knows, so just listen and follow.

Making Life Work: The second verse of this ‘call to worship’ psalm (Psalm 95:2) says, ‘Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.’ In light of the goodness of your Good Shepherd, why don’t you do just that? Offer up a prayer of gratitude and a song of praise.

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Got An Owie? Start Running!

When our kids were small and got an owie, they would come running to Linda and me in a huge upset—weeping, wailing, the whole nine yards. From their view, the world was coming to an end, but from our perspective as parents, their cause for concern was no big deal, and neither was the solution. So we would pick them up, comfort their pain, dry their tears, kiss their owie and send them on their way, our consolation working wonders to restore peace and confidence in their little world. As adults, why do we forget to run to God with our owies? His perspective is much like ours as parents with our kids—only multiplied by indescribable love, unlimited wisdom and unmatched power to the nth degree. Best of all, the Father never fails to pick us up in his arms, soothe our aching heart and restore our broken world. Got an owie? Start running!

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 94 // Focus: Psalm 94:19

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.

When our children were small, they would sometimes come to my wife and me in a huge upset—tears, wailing, the whole nine yards. It might have been the result of a skinned knee, a snatched toy, a bad dream or any number of earth-shattering events. From the child’s view, the world was coming to an end, but from our perspective as parents, their cause for concern was no big deal, and the solution was never beyond our resources to rectify.

Of course, all parents experience that with their children—it is just a universal role moms and dads are called to play. But it is also universal that as adults, we forget what we know to be true for our children and we will often get in a huge upset over things that happen in our grown up world—a bruised ego, a blocked desire, a broken dream. We get an owe, and we get foot-stomping mad, or we get profoundly sad, or we start being bad—or all three.

When our children were losing it like that (in Psalm 94:18, the writer said, “when my foot was slipping”), we would pick them up and say something like, “there, there, little one, it’s going to be okay.” We would comfort their pain, dry their tears, kiss their owie and send them on their way with the knowledge that things were going to be okay. And each time, our consolation worked wonders to restore peace and confidence in their little world.

I suspect you know where I am going with this by now. From our view, the world sometimes seems like it is coming to an end. At times, it feels like our feet are slipping, that we are loosing our grip, that we don’t have the wherewithal to hold it all together much longer. But how do you think God sees our situation? Of course, his perspective is much like ours as parents with our children—only multiplied by indescribable love, unlimited wisdom and unmatched power to the nth degree.

Much like you, on a regular basis I have disappointing thing happen in my world—friends who let me down, partners who doesn’t appreciate the sacrifice I make to advance a shared ministry, plans that get blocked by unanticipated circumstances or diminishing resources or uncooperative people. Those frustrating situations can make me foot-stomping mad. And like the psalmist, when I respond in childlike upset, my anxiety rises within me.

So what do I do? I have learned to run to God. I take my owie to him. And he never fails to pick me up in his arms and soothe my aching heart. He is a willing and wonderful Father who holds me until I absorb his perspective and see my world from his vantage point.

When I run to Father, the outcome is predictable: His consolation always bring joy to my soul.

Making Life Work: Got an owie? Run to God! In another Psalm, David said what God is like ‘As a father is kind to his children, so the Lord is kind to those who honor him. He knows what we are made of; he remembers that we are dust.’ (Psalm 103:13-14)

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Tempest in a Teapot

No matter if your storm is small or big—a demanding boss, a demeaning clique, a discouraging ailment, a depleted account, a disastrous family—you are not alone. There is One with you who is higher and mightier than your storm; so high and mighty that he makes your worst hurricane nothing more than a tempest in a teapot! Since that is true, why not make yourself a cup of tea just to remind the storm of Who’s in charge!

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 93 // Focus: Psalm 93:2,4

Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea—the Lord on high is mighty.

What are you facing today? A demanding boss at work? An impenetrable clique at school? A depleting ailment in your body? An unsolvable problem in your finances? A looming disaster in your family?

What is the gathering storm in your life right now? It is pretty intimidating, I would imagine. Storms are like that. They rise up as if to consume you—“The seas have lifted up”; they dominate your world and color your entire view of life—“the seas have lifted up their voice”; they batter every fiber of your existence—“the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.” (Psalm 93:3)

But here’s the deal: God was there before your storm got started. He will be there long after your storm blows itself back into oblivion. It follows, therefore, that he will be with you as you ride out the storm. So look for him in the winds and the waves. Listen for his voice above the chaos. He is “mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea—the LORD on high is mighty.” (Psalm 93:4)

No matter what the storm—small or big, you are not alone. There is One with you who is higher and mightier than your storm—so high and mighty that he makes your worst hurricane nothing more than a tempest in a teapot!

No matter if your storm is small or big—a demanding boss, a demeaning clique, a discouraging ailment, a depleted account, a disastrous family—you are not alone. There is One with you who is higher and mightier than your storm; so high and mighty that he makes your worst hurricane nothing more than a tempest in a teapot! So why not make yourself a cup of tea just to remind the storm of Who’s in charge!

Since that is true, why not make yourself a cup of tea just to remind the storm of Who’s in charge!

Making Life Work: Got a storm? Make yourself a cup of tea and invite the one Who’s in charge to ride it out with you.

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They Just Don’t Get It

What’s the deal with an increasingly vocal, radical, and hateful bunch in our country who preach tolerance the loudest but themselves are the most intolerant, and viciously so, when anyone doesn’t kowtow to their beliefs—especially Christians? How about this: they don’t get it! They don’t get the fact that though they are growing in strength and numbers today, one day they will stand accountable before a Righteous God who has established an unchangeable moral code for his universe. But you get it! So stick by what you get, and in the end, you will really get it—the eternal favor of Lord.

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 92 // Focus: Psalm 92:6-8

The senseless man does not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed. But you, O LORD, are exalted forever.

I am not a big fan of beauty pageants. In fact, I have real philosophical problems with them, but that’s a whole different matter. So I usually pay them no mind. But back in 2009, I was intrigued—no, dismayed is the right word—with the way one of the finalists to the Miss USA contest, Carrie Prejean, was viciously treated by so-called cultural elites for her sane and sensitive answer to the question she was asked on gay marriage.

This beautiful young woman, who many feel would have won the crown if she had given the politically correct answer, was vilified and marginalized and called everything from a dumb blond to a homophobe to a…well, you finish the sentence. No, on second thought, don’t finish it!

What was her crime? Simply that she gave the same answer that a vast majority of Americans would have given, and that I hope all born-again Christians would have given: That though we live in a country where you have the freedom to do certain things, including being gay, her moral beliefs and value system led her to believe that marriage should be preserved for a man and a woman. She said it respectfully, she said it calmly, she said it gracefully. She shared her opinion, which, the last time I looked, was still an American value. And then for her, all hell broke loose.

So what’s the deal with an increasingly vocal, radical, and hateful bunch in our country who preach tolerance the loudest but themselves are the most intolerant, and viciously so, when anyone doesn’t kowtow to their beliefs? How about this:

They don’t get it!

They don’t get the fact that though they are growing in strength and numbers today, like flourishing grass, one day they will stand before a Righteous God who has established an unchangeable moral code for the universe. And those who have flaunted their freedoms and taunted God by their lifestyles in disregard to his laws will be forever destroyed. And from that perspective, as the psalmist said, they are senseless fools.

They just don’t get it…but they will get it someday.

But you do! You get that God will be exalted and unrepentant sinners will be destroyed. You get that those who have put their trust in God, who have submitted to the rules he has established for his creation, who love, honor and respect him, will as Psalm 92:12-14 says,

Flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.

Don’t be surprised that there will be people who don’t get that! But you do; you get it. So stick by what you get, and in the end, you will really get it—the eternal favor of Lord.

Making Life Work: Are there people in your life who ‘just don’t get it’? Make sure you share God’s truth with them, lovingly and humbly when you have opportunity. And pray that the Holy Spirit softens their heart that it might be penetrated by the love of God.

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Shelter

Have you ever watched a hen gather her chicks under her wings in a downpour? When the clouds burst, momma will spread her wings and the chicks will run to her, and in one fell swoop, she will gather all those babies under her wings and hunkered down in the storm. The chicks will literally disappear as the hen absorbs the maelstrom. In our time of storm, Psalm 91 says that God longs for us to find shelter in the shadow of his wings, too! And what love that Father has for us that he will absorb our storm through his son, Jesus Christ. Got a storm? Start running!

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 91 // Focus: Psalm 91:1,4

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty…He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

My wife and I were celebrating our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary a few years back on the beautiful Hawaiian island of Kauai. It was in July, and we were on the rainier side of this lush island, and man was it raining. Throughout the day the clouds would burst and the downpour would send both man and beast running for cover.

We had a ground floor condo for the week that opened up into the grassy interior of the resort, and throughout the week, we noticed a hen and her brood of about five or six baby chicks that roamed the resort, and to our delight,  often took their leisure on our patio. Free range paradise chickens—what a life!

On one occasion when the downpour hit, we were in the room and the hen was right outside our sliding glass doors. When the clouds burst, it looked as if a firehose had been turned on; it was unbelievable. Then the most amazing thing happened: those baby chicks made a beeline for momma hen. I didn’t know chickens could run that fast. And old momma hen spread her wings like she had done it a million times before, and in one fell swoop, gathered all the babies under her wings and hunkered down in the storm. The chicks literally disappeared from sight for about 10 minutes, while mother hen absorbed the maelstrom.

As we watched this tender scene in amazement, my wife and I simultaneously commented on these tender verses from Psalm 91. As touched as we were by the mother hen’s love for her chicks, we were awestruck and undone by the Heavenly Father’s tender but protective love of his helpless kids—chicks like us.

What an awesome thing that we belong to a God who longs for us to find shelter in the time of storm under the shadow of his wings! And what love the Father has for us that he should send his only Son to absorb the storm of sin and protect us from the righteous wrath of the One who cannot tolerate that sin.

And the Son, Jesus Christ, still longs to gather us under his wings, as a hen gathers her brood: “How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…”

He longs to gather you, but here’s the deal: You’ve got to run to him!

Making Life Work: Got a storm? Start running!

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Time Flies

Are you as amazed as I am with the speed of time? What once seemed interminable when I was a kid—school, chores, the preacher’s sermon, winter—now seems to rush by like a speeding locomotive. I blinked and suddenly this sixteen year-old kid panting to get his driver’s license is now pushing sixty and panting just walking up the stairs. Watching my wife-to-be walk down the aisle has turned into the new adventure of grandparenting—overnight! Time flies, doesn’t it! I guess the best advice we will ever get as it relates to the speed of life comes in the form this prayer Moses’ offered: “Lord, teach me to number my days soberly, so that I might live each of them wisely.” Great idea: soberly assess the number of days you’ll have—then live them well .

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 90 // Focus: Psalm 90:12

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

True story: Kermit the frog was once heard saying, “Time’s fun when your having flies.” Okay, not true, but you get the point. Kermit got his idiom a bit garbled, but that is quite understandable when Miss Piggy is stalking you!

Kermit was on to something! The truth is, time does fly—whether you are having fun or not. Moses was reflecting on how relatively brief life was when he said in Psalm 90:10,

The length of our days is seventy years—
or eighty, if we have the strength;
yet their span is but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

How true that is! Are you as amazed as I am with the speed of time? What once seemed interminable when I was a kid—school, chores, the preacher’s sermon, winter, life—now seems to rush by like a speeding locomotive. I blinked and suddenly this sixteen year-old kid panting to get his driver’s license is now pushing sixty and panting just walking up the stairs. Watching my wife-to-be walk down the aisle has turned into the new adventure of grandparenting—overnight! Staring in amazement at the mystery of life as our daughters were born seems like only yesterday. Now they are successful in their own careers, making their way in the world—quite well, I might add, and having an impact in this world.

Time flies!

You could certainly add your own experience to the narrative. And those of you who are older can definitely add an urgent witness to the speed of life even more than I can at this stage of life: Suddenly, the grandkids are getting married; great grandchildren are arriving; the body is not working quite like it used to even though the mind still thinks of yourself as a youngster, full of vim and vigor; you are facing life without your soul-mate—and something you never dreamed possible is now a gritty reality.

Time flies!

I guess the best advice we will ever get as it relates to the speed of life comes in the form this prayer Moses’ offered: “Lord, teach me to number my days soberly, so that I might live each of them wisely.” Great idea: learn to number your days aright, and therein gain a heart of wisdom.

Making Life Work: So perhaps it would be a good idea to follow Moses’ lead and pray that prayer today—and every day: ‘Lord, teach me to number my days soberly, so that I might live each of them wisely.’

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Promises

God makes promises. And, thank God, he keeps them, every one of them. He can’t help himself: “Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—and I will not lie to David.” (Psalm 89:35) No, God will not lie to David, nor will God lie to you. Of course this psalm is specifically referring to God’s covenantal promise to King David, but it should be generally applied to God’s covenantal promise to all who are his people by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. That’s me, and that’s you, and that’s a very good thing! Even though the people around your may fail to keep their end of the bargain, and though you may not always follow through with what you have said you would do, you can relax with God—he will always come through for you.

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 89 // Focus: Psalm 89:34

I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered.

God makes promises. And he keeps them.

We ought to be grateful for that! You and I are alive today—saved, forgiven, adopted into God’s family, walking daily in an intimate relationship with Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit for good works, destined for an eternity full of unending purpose and indescribable fulfillment—only by virtue of God’s faithfulness to his promise.

The fact that God makes a promise guarantees he will keep that promise.

Yet that has not been our earthly experience, has it? We have been made promises only to have them broken. Parents, friends, teachers, bosses, politicians, preachers, and even our spouses—all have made promises, and chances are, most, if not all, have failed to deliver on their guarantees. In the realm of human relationships, our experience has taught us that a promise made is not necessarily a promise kept.

And we, ourselves, have made promises only to break them before the ink dried on our guarantee.

Not so with God. He makes covenants, and because he is a covenantly faithful God, he will do what he has promised to do. Even though we may fail him—and suffer the consequences of our failure, either through Divine punishment or natural outcomes, or both—God will stay true to his promise. (Psalm 89:30-37) God cannot help himself. Psalm 89:35 reminds us,

Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
and I will not lie to David-

No, God will not lie to David, nor will God lie to you. Of course this psalm is specifically referring to God’s covenantal promise to King David, but it should be generally applied to God’s covenantal promise to all who are his people by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. That’s me, and that’s you, and that’s a very good thing!

So here’s the deal: Even though the people around your may fail to keep their end of the bargain, and though you may not always follow through with what you have said you would do, you can relax with God—he will always come through for you.

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Making Life Work: When was the last time you offered gratitude to God for his faithfulness to his promises? Maybe now might be a good time to do just that!