December 6, 2019
Need for Shepherding
"Savior, like a shepherd lead us,
much we need thy tender care;
in thy pleasant pastures feed us,
for our use thy folds prepare.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Thou hast bought us, thine we are."
|
He will carry the lambs in His arms!
(Arthur Pink)
"He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in His arms, holding them close to His heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young." Isaiah 40:11
Our Lord has . . .
many weak children in His family,
many dull pupils in His school,
many fearful soldiers in His army,
many lame sheep in His flock.
Yet He bears with them all, and casts none away.
By Christ's gracious aid, the believer is preserved from being totally submerged by his doubts and fears.
By His renewing operations, the spark of faith is maintained, despite all the fierce winds of Satan which assail.
By His mighty enabling, the sorely harassed and groaning Christian is kept from sinking in abject despair.
By His quickening power, hope is still kept alive, and the voice of prayer is still faintly heard.
There is no danger of the individual saint being overlooked amidst the multitude of supplicants who daily and hourly present their various petitions--for an infinite Mind is as capable of paying the same attention to millions, as if only one individual were seeking its attention!
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are . . . Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:15-16
(Arthur Pink)
"He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in His arms, holding them close to His heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young." Isaiah 40:11
Our Lord has . . .
many weak children in His family,
many dull pupils in His school,
many fearful soldiers in His army,
many lame sheep in His flock.
Yet He bears with them all, and casts none away.
By Christ's gracious aid, the believer is preserved from being totally submerged by his doubts and fears.
By His renewing operations, the spark of faith is maintained, despite all the fierce winds of Satan which assail.
By His mighty enabling, the sorely harassed and groaning Christian is kept from sinking in abject despair.
By His quickening power, hope is still kept alive, and the voice of prayer is still faintly heard.
There is no danger of the individual saint being overlooked amidst the multitude of supplicants who daily and hourly present their various petitions--for an infinite Mind is as capable of paying the same attention to millions, as if only one individual were seeking its attention!
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are . . . Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:15-16
Dr. Morris, world traveler, has seen shepherds in the 20th century. Both in Africa , and the Scandinavian countries. I remember talking with a Shepherd near Bergen Norway . He talked about how dumb sheep really are, "That he must keep his eyes on them all the time." Of course, Christianity was a foreign language to him, but I said, "We are all so much like dumb sheep, so easy to stray, we so need direction."
In my personal life, I so need direction, so wish I had a shepherd tell me what to do with most decisions I have to make.
I was talking with two officials from a local University just yesterday. I said, " I get so tired of these paid advertisements about how people should respect veterans, do you know the VA pays the NFL and other sports programs to tell the public how they should respect veterans? The VA does not respect veterans at all, they talk about the disgrace of so many veterans committing suicide (3 each day). The VA would like it if all veterans committed suicide, it would be so much cheaper for the country to buy a cheap 'tin' casket and a flag, and burry every veteran. Instead of the continued expense of sick care, such as it is, at a veterans hospital." I have written about this before, and will not go into it again. The insult to the veteran, and the embarrassment to the nation, is the VA "sick care." Each time a VA doctor asks me, a totally blind- 100% disabled- Medical officer veteran, if I have any thoughts of suicide, my reply always, "everyday." But that gives me the opportunity such as the opportunity I get in every area of life, to present my Christian testimony. Because, without flinching, "my faith keeps me going." I did not wear the uniform, to get free healthcare. In fact, I keep paying for my healthcare. Not that I have not paid for VA care, but my civilian doctors want me to keep coming to them.
In the poverty ridden home were I grew up, and the images just as vivid now in my blinded eyes, as it was as a child when I could see, there was a picture which my parents had acquired early in their marriage, of Jesus carrying a small lamb next to his heart. I used the scripture above, I would always say in prayer at any church or institution were I was asked to pray, that we can "find grace to help in time of need." Our faith is all based on grace and I so need that grace to walk blinded in faith. "For we walk by faith not by sight" (Corinthians 5:7)
No comments:
Post a Comment