on being a faithful sheep

 I clean houses by trade. Yesterday, as I pulled into a client's driveway, I could see her small herd of sheep, who were grazing in a nearby pasture, stop then began running to the barn. I thought it was cute until I saw why they did that: the man who takes care of them was pulling in directly behind me. Ahhhh....the sheep know him and the good he brings!

As I cleaned, I thought on that. "I am the Good Shepherd. The sheep know Me and I know them by name..." John 10:11-18

As I age, I am understanding more why Jesus spoke in parables. The people of the day weren't book-learned, so much as knowing how life worked just by what they did day after day. Shepherding. Making wine. Being a carpenter. These things they knew, so Jesus applied what they knew to His stories.

Isn't that how we all are? Work meetings, church sermons, maybe even a family gathering can all be boring...until we hear something that we can relate to. All of a sudden, it now becomes personal. It now brings us all together as we listen. This is why Jesus had dinner with so many people...a small, intimate affair where He could share stories those people could relate to and understand.

Thus...back to the sheep. "I am the Good Shepherd, I know my sheep and they know Me." 

How often, when tragedy strikes or we find ourselves in a scary situation, do we go to God vs trying to go it alone? God knew us from the time we were in our mother's womb! "You are fearfully and wonderfully made!" He reminds us. (Psalm 139:4) Yet there are those who, finding themselves in an unplanned stage of life, will panic. Some will go through that time and make it out the other side but others, allowing fear to take over, will use that time to be swayed by the opinions of others...maybe taking the wrong path and eradicating what could have been a new life, filled with possibilities. The evil one...oh yes...he is filling the minds of those with so much despair right now..."you don't need THAT, why not do THIS instead?"

We must listen and understand what it is God is trying to say!

"Be still...and know that I am God!" Psalm 46:10

Be still....that is not the same thing as giving up or giving in. Have you ever watched a deer? When it hears an unfamiliar sound, it immediately stops...it listens..."be still..." then it can assess the situation. Do I run? Do I stay put? Unlike a squirrel, who darts in front of cars, then quickly changes its mind (often too late), a deer pauses.

In today's politics, we are told that THE biggest issue is being "pro-choice." THEY won't use the word "abortion." It sounds too dirty...we all know what an abortionist does, so let's not focus on that, right? Am I right? So they play up words. I heard a radio ad promoting a senator who was active in Planned Parenthood, she spoke of "maternal care." It was all so pretty as she spoke of having it more common in the rural areas. Take note, she was NOT referring to "maternity care," but abortion. But let's confuse people a bit. "Oh, she cares so much about women!" some maybe thought. Do not be fooled.

Our vice presidential pick was and is also very active in Planned Parenthood. She wears that title as an award of sorts. She will fight to protect abortion at all costs to potential lives. She is proud of that! She said so. I watched the hearings for the new choice for Supreme Court justice and this senator just grilled the nominee about women losing "their rights."

Do not be fooled. Romans 16:18 "They fool the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words!"

Women have choices, my friends, we always have. We can choose to make good choices. We can choose how our actions may lead to bringing a new life into being. We can choose to keep it or adopt it out. We can choose to give up only nine months of our lives so that a new life can have years of theirs. Or...we can choose to be chaste and not have to worry about that at all.

Today's world wants us to have satisfaction and have it when we want it. Consequences? Pah! We can then "get rid of it" as if it never happened!

 "Before you were formed in the womb, I knew you." Jeremiah 1:5

"Be still...and know that I am God!"

If those two verses from Scripture don't calm you and guide you, then what will?

Have a blessed day, my friends. Peace be with all of you!