For forty years I loathed that generation and said, "They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways." (Verse 10)
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53
Salvation through faith in Christ is most unfair. The Shepherd dying for His flock even though each of the lambs have strayed from the Shepherd one at a time or in a mass exodus of hubris. Thinking it knows the way better than the One Who leads. Never spending time with Him in order to clearly understand His love for the ewes and rams He must direct and protect in the hills and valleys of their world. The Shepherd has a way He understands. Knows the wiles of the wolves that would eat His sheep alive. Their safety is His number one concern. Keeping them from the enemy of their souls. The Shepherd knows each lamb by name, cuddles them, carries them in His arms (Isaiah 40). But sheep are stubborn and stupid. They wander off thinking they can find greener pasture. Or something catches the light in the meadow, glints in the sun--a shiny object the ram can't resist. When it thinks the Shepherd isn't looking, the sheep meanders toward its own destruction without thought of the consequences. Winds up stuck in a bramble eye to eye with the wolf who tricked it to wander off. If the lamb is lucky, the Shepherd has followed it in its folly. Chased off the enemy and rescued the lamb from the brambles. Time after time the sheep wander and stray. Time after time the Shepherd runs to their rescue. Once in a while, though, a sheep is devoured by the enemy. One too many treks away from safety. Caught too far away from home. No amount of baa-ing his fear and regret can bring the Shepherd close for the sheep has chosen again and again to do its own thing. What is the Shepherd to do?
It is the wolf He must deal with. Once and for all in order to protect the sheep He loves. For too long the enemy has ravaged the sheep. Confused and troubled them with tricks. Left them bloody on the leas and pastures of the Shepherd's land. He must face the wolf head-on. Destroy its power forever over the flock. The battle is fierce. The wolf ravenous and wild as it tears at the flesh of the Shepherd. The sheep watch in horror as the Shepherd crushes their enemy. The wolf lay dead at the feet of a Shepherd past saving. His blood mixes with the grasses of their pasture as He declares with His final breath, "It's finished." Confused and alone, the sheep run away. Hide in the hillsides and in high brush. What will they do without this One to lead them? Why would He die for such a pitiful flock?
But the wolf is dead. No longer able to touch them because the Shepherd conquered it in battle that day. Took their straying upon Himself so they'd understand why He wanted to hold them close. How important it was for them to follow Him. There are other wolves out there waiting. Who will save them now? But look! The Shepherd comes to find them. Each one. Shows them His hands, ripped by the wolf as he clawed their savior in the heat of the conflict. Pets them and pulls them close. As the sheep nuzzle their master they understand for the first time His great love for them. Willing to give His own life so they are free. These sheep never again want to wound the Shepherd. Leave His side. Go astray. All they have to do is close their eyes to recall the fight. The tongue of the wolf, flaccid and pink, as it fell from its mouth in death. Eyes set. Conquered. But not before the Shepherd lay dead, too, wounded beyond recognition in the cruelty of the conflict. All to save the sheep.
If the sheep stray now, they do it because they have no wish to obey the Shepherd Who loves them. Having seen His death. Having joyed in His return. Yet without understanding what it cost, the sheep who wanders away does so in the face of great sacrifice. Killing the Shepherd over again. Baa-ing its disregard for the love it has been shown. Certain it is smarter than the Shepherd, the ram or ewe heads away from the rest to prove life is greener on the other side of the pasture. And the heart of the Shepherd breaks. And though He leaves the flock time and again to call out to the sheep to return, it doesn't hear His voice. And it will have no peaceful pasture--no safe place to lay its head. Brambles await. Wolves crouch and salivate. For the sheep without a Shepherd are out there on their own.
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Psalm 100
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53
Salvation through faith in Christ is most unfair. The Shepherd dying for His flock even though each of the lambs have strayed from the Shepherd one at a time or in a mass exodus of hubris. Thinking it knows the way better than the One Who leads. Never spending time with Him in order to clearly understand His love for the ewes and rams He must direct and protect in the hills and valleys of their world. The Shepherd has a way He understands. Knows the wiles of the wolves that would eat His sheep alive. Their safety is His number one concern. Keeping them from the enemy of their souls. The Shepherd knows each lamb by name, cuddles them, carries them in His arms (Isaiah 40). But sheep are stubborn and stupid. They wander off thinking they can find greener pasture. Or something catches the light in the meadow, glints in the sun--a shiny object the ram can't resist. When it thinks the Shepherd isn't looking, the sheep meanders toward its own destruction without thought of the consequences. Winds up stuck in a bramble eye to eye with the wolf who tricked it to wander off. If the lamb is lucky, the Shepherd has followed it in its folly. Chased off the enemy and rescued the lamb from the brambles. Time after time the sheep wander and stray. Time after time the Shepherd runs to their rescue. Once in a while, though, a sheep is devoured by the enemy. One too many treks away from safety. Caught too far away from home. No amount of baa-ing his fear and regret can bring the Shepherd close for the sheep has chosen again and again to do its own thing. What is the Shepherd to do?
It is the wolf He must deal with. Once and for all in order to protect the sheep He loves. For too long the enemy has ravaged the sheep. Confused and troubled them with tricks. Left them bloody on the leas and pastures of the Shepherd's land. He must face the wolf head-on. Destroy its power forever over the flock. The battle is fierce. The wolf ravenous and wild as it tears at the flesh of the Shepherd. The sheep watch in horror as the Shepherd crushes their enemy. The wolf lay dead at the feet of a Shepherd past saving. His blood mixes with the grasses of their pasture as He declares with His final breath, "It's finished." Confused and alone, the sheep run away. Hide in the hillsides and in high brush. What will they do without this One to lead them? Why would He die for such a pitiful flock?
But the wolf is dead. No longer able to touch them because the Shepherd conquered it in battle that day. Took their straying upon Himself so they'd understand why He wanted to hold them close. How important it was for them to follow Him. There are other wolves out there waiting. Who will save them now? But look! The Shepherd comes to find them. Each one. Shows them His hands, ripped by the wolf as he clawed their savior in the heat of the conflict. Pets them and pulls them close. As the sheep nuzzle their master they understand for the first time His great love for them. Willing to give His own life so they are free. These sheep never again want to wound the Shepherd. Leave His side. Go astray. All they have to do is close their eyes to recall the fight. The tongue of the wolf, flaccid and pink, as it fell from its mouth in death. Eyes set. Conquered. But not before the Shepherd lay dead, too, wounded beyond recognition in the cruelty of the conflict. All to save the sheep.
If the sheep stray now, they do it because they have no wish to obey the Shepherd Who loves them. Having seen His death. Having joyed in His return. Yet without understanding what it cost, the sheep who wanders away does so in the face of great sacrifice. Killing the Shepherd over again. Baa-ing its disregard for the love it has been shown. Certain it is smarter than the Shepherd, the ram or ewe heads away from the rest to prove life is greener on the other side of the pasture. And the heart of the Shepherd breaks. And though He leaves the flock time and again to call out to the sheep to return, it doesn't hear His voice. And it will have no peaceful pasture--no safe place to lay its head. Brambles await. Wolves crouch and salivate. For the sheep without a Shepherd are out there on their own.
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Psalm 100
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