Scottish audio version here
Zechariah 13:7 "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!" declares the LORD Almighty. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones. (NIV)
This is one of my least favorite verses from the Bible. It disturbs me and every time I go through some trouble or turbulence in ministry, this verse keeps popping up at the back of my mind.
I’ve seen this happen in other churches. I’ve watched pastors lose their position at a church because of their theology. I’ve seen congregations become divided over denominational issues that the pastor couldn’t stop. I’ve known sessions and elders to be split over money, ministry or mission conflicts. In most of those situations, the pastor has left, defeated and demoralized. The shepherd has been struck, so the sheep begin to scatter.
Ministry is not easy, just like any other caring, counseling or teaching profession. On any given day, you can go through a whole gamut of emotions. Every phone call can be a crisis. Every email can be demanding. Every visit can be serious. The church is never quiet, for there’s always someone, somewhere in the congregation who is carrying painful burdens and facing personal problems. To be a good shepherd means to lead people through tough times, as well as celebrating the joyous moments in their lives.
What I fear is happening across the country is that pastors are becoming the scapegoats in a theological tussle that is presently splitting every mainline denomination in America. We are loading our leaders with an unbearable burden of trying to please and satisfy everyone, which cannot be done. The shepherds are showing fatigue and losing their energy. They’re being struck by discontent and malcontent. They’re being paralyzed by people who use churches to feed their ego and slake their thirst for power. Pastors are easy targets, so the shepherds are being struck, causing the sheep to disarray and scatter.
Maybe we should pray for our pastors today and ask God to uphold them.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You call women and men from different places, backgrounds, and cultures to serve Your Kingdom as pastors in the church. Their lives are different from most folks and the demands that are sometimes placed upon them are unbearable. Pastor our pastors and save them from being struck; for without our pastors, the sheep would scatter all over the place. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Short daily devotions for busy Christians and Church meetings
Showing posts with label herding sheep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label herding sheep. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Making a Whistle
Scottish audio version here.
John 10:16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. (NIV)
My father-in-law, Bill Smith, was a remarkably talented man. He was a hydraulic engineer, so he could fix basically anything that was mechanical. He grew up in the countryside and worked on various farms as a young man. I guess he learned how to repair things when he worked with farming machinery.
Years later, I remember one occasion when he took an empty can and cut it apart with metal shears. I wondered what he was doing as he flattened out the piece of metal and folded it over several times. He then put it to his lips and blew. He had made a whistle! I don’t know how he did it, but I was really impressed. I think he learned this craft when he worked for a short time as a shepherd.
Scottish shepherds use whistles to guide their collie dogs as they herd the sheep over the hills. A talented shepherd can herd sheep half a mile away by blowing different signals to his dog. It’s a remarkable feat and requires a lot of concentration by the shepherd and his dog, as well as the willing cooperation of the sheep!
From the scriptures, we know that Christ is our Good Shepherd and that He calls us to His flock. Today’s Bible verse has been used by some people to falsely suggest that other religions are acceptable to Him. They state that the “other sheep” are adherents of other faiths. But those who interpret scripture in this fashion conveniently forget the next part: that they will listen to Christ’s voice and then become part of the one flock.
In other words, to be accepted by Christ, they have to listen to Him and follow Him.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You call all people to listen to Your voice and become Your followers. You want everyone to be a part of the One, True Flock. Help us to help You with this calling. Grant us the courage to ask others to come to church, to come and be a part of Your Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John 10:16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. (NIV)
My father-in-law, Bill Smith, was a remarkably talented man. He was a hydraulic engineer, so he could fix basically anything that was mechanical. He grew up in the countryside and worked on various farms as a young man. I guess he learned how to repair things when he worked with farming machinery.
Years later, I remember one occasion when he took an empty can and cut it apart with metal shears. I wondered what he was doing as he flattened out the piece of metal and folded it over several times. He then put it to his lips and blew. He had made a whistle! I don’t know how he did it, but I was really impressed. I think he learned this craft when he worked for a short time as a shepherd.
Scottish shepherds use whistles to guide their collie dogs as they herd the sheep over the hills. A talented shepherd can herd sheep half a mile away by blowing different signals to his dog. It’s a remarkable feat and requires a lot of concentration by the shepherd and his dog, as well as the willing cooperation of the sheep!
From the scriptures, we know that Christ is our Good Shepherd and that He calls us to His flock. Today’s Bible verse has been used by some people to falsely suggest that other religions are acceptable to Him. They state that the “other sheep” are adherents of other faiths. But those who interpret scripture in this fashion conveniently forget the next part: that they will listen to Christ’s voice and then become part of the one flock.
In other words, to be accepted by Christ, they have to listen to Him and follow Him.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You call all people to listen to Your voice and become Your followers. You want everyone to be a part of the One, True Flock. Help us to help You with this calling. Grant us the courage to ask others to come to church, to come and be a part of Your Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
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