Author: lettherebelife17

One day a sheep owner brought a lamb out to his pasture that he had brought from another location. In this pasture there was a flock of sheep grazing on one side and a herd of goats grazing on the other side. He unloaded the lamb off the truck and released it, wondering what this lamb would do. The lamb lifted it’s head and looked around to see what was in the field. As soon as he spotted the flock of sheep he raced out to join the flock. He knew who and what he was. He knew where he belonged. There was an instant attraction to join the sheep and no attraction to join the goats. Very interesting!

The sheep belonging to the Good Shepherd know who they are, They know where they belong. It doesn’t take long to reconize other sheep belonging to the same Master. They somehow don’t fit in very well with the goats because they don’t feel at home there.

Having spent time quite a bit in other countries it is always refreshing when you meet sheep that belong to the Good Shepherd, who are another color, speak another language and live in a different culture. There is that unmistakeable witness in your heart. There is fellowship even when you can’t understand each other’s words. There is a communion and a communication on a spiritual level because you belong to the same Good Shepherd.

It is an amazing sight to watch sheep follow their shepherd. I had that privilege a few times in other countries. When a shepherd is leading his flock of sheep he goes ahead of them and leads them. It does not work well to try to drive sheep like you would drive cattle. Sheep become very bewildered and confused when you try to drive them.

I saw a video of a shepherd leading a large flock of hundreds of sheep down a mountain path. He went in front of them and kept talking and singing as he went. It is a great security to sheep if they can constantly hear the shepherd’s voice. They came down the mountain and at a certain point went on a very narrow path along a cliff. There was not much room for any miss steps. They all made it safely down to the corral for the winter.

This is why God calls us sheep. We are more like this animal by comparison than any other. We are created to follow the Good Shepherd. We are not really satisfied in life until we do. All true sheep know His voice and follow Him even when the path gets narrow and dangerous. They know He has their best interest in mind. They understand that He knows the future perfectly. They know the rough, narrow, dangerous path will ultimately lead to His further blessing and provision for the future.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” John 10:27. Sheep recognize the voice of the shepherd. Many other voices can be shouting at the same time but the sheep will recognize the Shepherd’s voice. They are accustomed to it and trust it.

Many years ago when our children were young, we had a small flock of sheep. Often when sheep are left to themselves, they will look for a way to get through the fence. Well these sheep were no exception. One day the sheep were out again, so I went out to put them back in. I worked at it awhile but could not get these ornery things in. Finally, I called my son out who was maybe 8 years old or so at the time. He was the one who normally fed and took care of the sheep. So he came out and the sheep were out in a field where they were not suppose to be. All he did was call them and they all came running and almost ran over me to get to him. They knew his voice. Their ears were tuned in to hear any time he spoke.

That’s an accurate picture of the Good Shepherd, sheep relationship. “And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.” John 10:4. They know His voice and when they hear His voice, they respond instantly. Why is this so? Because they know He is the Good Shepherd and because they are His sheep, they follow Him.

The water of life that the Good Shepherd gives brings a deep settled peace and satisfaction that nothing else can. However, if a person is always drinking from another fountain, he will be full of something that doesn’t satisfy. If a person is concerned about the effects on his body that his habit of drinking 10 cokes a day may have on him and he knows he should drink more water, he has a right concern. However, if he wants to be thirsty for water, He needs to cut back on his coke intake.

The same is true with what we take in our mind and spirit. It is necessary to shut off whatever is not healthy for your mind and spirit so you can more readily become thirsty for that which truly satisfies. In a day of so much noise, radio, TV, all kinds of electronic devices, opinions coming from all sides, it becomes necessary to find quietness so we can bring focus and attention on what the Good Shepherd is saying.

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13. If you know you have a real need but you lack diligence and thirst, ask Him to bring ot on you. Right relationship with the Good Shepherd begins with being fully honest with ourselves and with Him. He is the one that can put the right desire in your heart if you ask Him.

There is nothing better when you are really thirsty than a glass of cool, fresh water. Thirst is an amazing thing. It can become an extremely powerful force in your life. They say someone walking in a desert that runs out of water and becomes very thirsty can quickly drink himself to death by drinking too much water too fast.

Physically we become what we eat and what we drink. That’s why it is important what kind of food we eat and what we drink. Foe example, too much sugar in your diet can eventually lead to a lot of physical health issues.

The same is true with what we consume with our mind. In the physical, we like to eat what we are hungry for. The same is true with our minds. The question then is, what is my mind hungry for? What is it that I love to think about the most? That tells me who I am. We become like what we feed on the most.

The Good Shepherd says, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” John 7:37. “I will give unto Him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” Revelation 21:6. The water of life is free for the drinking, but it is only the thirsty who drink. Like the old saying goes, ‘You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.’ What are we really thirsty for? Ask Him to make you real thirsty for the water of life.