Whether we admit it or not, we do have a Good Shepherd Who is always watching over us, even before we admit it.
“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isa 53:6 NIV
Sheep. As I mentioned yesterday, sheep are kind of dumb. They do things that go against their own safety. They make decisions that are not the healthiest. They get stuck and cannot get themselves out of that rut all on their own. They need a shepherd. Sound familiar? Lord knows I still act like a sheep more often than I care to admit. Sometimes I stop and look at the choices I am making and wonder, “What’s wrong with me?”
The Truth is, what is wrong is not me, but what is still IN me. That old MMI nature is still trying to lord over my life and fighting against the One Who is IN me. It’s like a battle between good and evil happening right inside my heart. Have you ever felt that way? I will say it again, what is wrong is still that sinful nature trying to have control over my life.
Sin is real and it is really powerful…if we are not with the One Who is more powerful, that is. The moment we, like sheep, go astray, is the moment we are heading for trouble. Ahhh, but this Good Shepherd is always watching, always seeking ways to bring us back, always tenderly cleaning us up after we come back. Oh Lord, You are so kind to us, we sheep who constantly push You away and seek lesser things. Forgive us and thank You for never giving up on us, even when we go astray.
Join me in memorizing 52 verses this year:
January: 1- Jn 3:16; 2- 2Co 5:17; 3- Jas 2:26; 4- Eph 2:10
February: 5- Jn 10:10; 6- Ro 6:23; 7- Rev 21:4; 8- Php 4:13
March: 9- 1Pe 5:7; 10- Jn 8:32; 11- Dt 30:19; 12- Jn 3:30; 13- 2Chron 20:3
April: 14- 2Chron 20:12; 15- 2Chron 20:15b; 16- 2Chron 20:17
May: 17- Ro 8:28; 18- 1Co 13:13; 19- Php 2:12; 20- Mt 5:4
June: 21- Lk 23:42; 22- Jas 4:7; 23- Pr 22:6; 24- Mt 5:3; 25- Jn 14:6
July: 26- Jas 2:19; 27- Dt 31:8; 28- Jn 14:15; 29- Jn 8:11
August: 30- Ro 8:1; 31- Pr 4:23; 32- Pr 18:21; 33- Ps 118:24; 34- 1Jn 4:4
35- Mt 16:24
36- Isa 53:6
<>< Peace, Diane
