Straying Galore....

My dad's side hustle was farming so he had livestock and every Tuesday during the school holidays we would accompany the cowboy to the village cattle dip to treat the cattle. I was in awe every time I went there because there were a countless number of cows and they mixed at the cattle dip bay or call it 'waiting room' but after the dipping (well allow me to call it that), every farmer knew his own cattle and you wouldn't hear of cases where some farmer had taken another person's cattle. My dad knew every single cow/bull by its name, and I still wonder to date how he did that because to me all cows look the same, I still think so. One time, one cow, yes just ONE strayed and somehow got lost and my dad spent a whole day combing the whole village looking for it. He was all frustrated and all that and I was like dad, that's just one cow out of like a hundred (okay not exactly) why are you wasting time on just one, si you just let it go? I can’t remember his answer. 
 

No the blog hasn't turned to a cow-tale, however this flash back reminds me of the book of John 10: 14 'I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me'

Jesus points out that he is not just a shepherd but a good one. Just like our then cowboy and my dad, Jesus knows his flock. No matter how many they are. There is no way you can stray and Jesus misses out on you. He sees us even in our disguises. “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way” Isaiah 53:6.
 

As Christians in our own nature, there is a strong tendency to go astray, heeding to the desires of our flesh. 

I cannot even start to count the number of times I have fallen into temptations, allowing myself to yield to the desires of my flesh. Okay I hate using the words 'fall into sin', because lets be clear honey, I didn't fall into sin, I walked right into it!. How? by hanging out with the wrong crowd, being too scared to say no and wanting to fit in when I know so well that I have been created to stand out! 

Did you know that sheep are the most helpless creatures alive? When they are on their own they can't survive long. They need to be fed, protected from wolves, guided when they go to water so that they don't drown or even fall over cliffs. I think sheep are blind because otherwise I don't understand how they sheepishly follow each other around. Well I have news for you, we, you and I, are just like sheep. As soon as we stray from our Creator we follow each other around, trying to conform to the ways of this world, then we drown and we fall over cliffs. We are fully dependent on our shepherd, well at least I know I am, cuz I need his care and protection, His provision and love, His grace and favour. 

You ought to remember that no man is perfect, we have all fallen short of God's glory and have strayed in one way or another infact if we say we are without sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us....according to 1st John 1:8

Jesus declared that He is our Shepherd and demonstrated it by giving His life for us. In proclaiming that he is the good shepherd, Jesus speaks of laying down His life for His sheep in John 10: 15-27. Just like sheep we ought to stick with our Shepherd no matter what!

What is the shepherd's obligation?

·         He is obligated to KNOW his sheep

·         He is obligated to LEAD his sheep

·         He is obligated to LAY HIS LIFE down for his sheep

·         He is obligated to DEFEND his sheep

·         He is obligated to BRING other sheep 

  
 Jesus Knows us by name. Each and every one of us, He leads us to green pastures, that is He has promised to provide for us and ensure that we are eating out of the green pastures. He lays his life down for us, he protects and defends us. When you go astray, he leaves the rest of the flock in His helper's hands (Pastors) and goes out personally to look for you. 

YES HE VALUES YOU THAT MUCH.




So today you have a choice: I know am gonna stick with my Shepherd, how about you?