Imagine you are walking through the countryside. You are the type of person who loves the outdoors, so walking for miles across beautiful hills and lush valleys comes easy to you. You pass beautiful trees, animals off in the distance enjoying the green grass. There is a lake off to your right that shows the reflection of the far-off mountains like a mirror. You think to yourself, “This is the life. What else could someone ask for?” As you walk, you notice that the scenery slowly changes from green grass, tall trees, and well-watered plains to sparse brush, dead brown weeds, and tumbleweeds blowing in the wind. This fascinates you, so you keep walking wondering about the change. As you’re considering the reasons why things have changes so suddenly, your thoughts are interrupted by the sound of sheep. “Could it be…” you think to yourself. “There could not possibly be sheep way out here in the desert.” But, against all odds, there they are, at the top of a hill, dozens of sheep just standing there bleating away. As you wonder if this is a dream, you see one lone shepherd, with an obvious scowl on his face, standing guard with a small pack of growling dogs surrounding the sheep. You stare in amazement as you take in this odd picture. You can’t quite wrap you brain around what’s happening here. “Why is the Shepherd unhappy? He’s obviously posted these dogs around the sheep to keep them here on top of this bare hill for a reason. But, why?” Naturally, your curiosity gets the best of you. So you meander over to the shepherd. “Sir,” you ask, “Why are you keeping these sheep here? And, why are you so unhappy? What’s going on?”
“As everyone knows,” he answers, “Sheep are stupid. And, they smell. And, they don’t follow orders. I’m tired of messing with them, so I leaving them here to die. I can’t tell you how mad I am having to deal with these stupid animals. I can’t take it anymore. So, to answer you question, I’m starving these sheep.”
Well, this would all be so very interesting if any of this were true, even remotely true. But, the fact is, this is just a horrible figment of a twisted imagination. Would a shepherd actually do such a thing? Of course not. Here’s a bigger question: Would God ever do this? We all know from Psalm 23 that He’s our shepherd. Would God get that impatient with us? Would he finally ever have enough of our disobedience and drag us away from green pastures and still waters over to dry desert where we would starve? I mean, how much sin is too much sin? Is it possible to mess up one too many times with God?
“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” (Lam 3:22-23). “He retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy.” (Mi 7:18b). “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” (Ps. 91:15-16).
About the third paragraph, my two-year old daughter came up to me with a doll in her hand. She was trying to get her dressed and she couldn’t. She needed my help. It was a small task, a meniel task. I was busy. But, it was important to her. So, I stopped what I was doing and dressed her doll for her. It won’t win me the Father-of-the-Year award. But, maybe it’ll drive the point home: God is interested in us. He cares about us. Sometimes our problems are insignificant in comparison to all the mess the world is in. But, He still takes time our for us. He loves us with an everlasting love.
Stupid sheep? Maybe. Disobedient sheep? Sometimes. Hard to shepherd? Yes. Starving? Never. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” (Psalm 23).
