I had a very nice dinner with a good friend the other night. It was dinner that was supposed to be a catch up type dinner...but ended up being so much more. My friend is someone who I rely on greatly for advice, guidance, inspiration, and much, much more. I often refer to her as my mentor. She is probably the closest and most intimate friend that I have. I am blessed to have a friend like her who is in my life and has STAYED in my life. There have been some that have come and gone..and some that stay around but drift to the sidelines and become more of a spectator and not involved anymore.
I have been having a lot of questions and issues that I have been mulling over and thinking about lately....so much so that I've allowed my circumstances and questions to stagnate me. As I started catching her up on some of my situations...it turned more into a one sided conversation. I sat there over the next hour or two listening to this friend minister and encourage me. She apologized for doing so much talking...but what she didn't know was that she was just repeating and confirming words from God that I was choosing to ignore and silence. I don't think so on purpose...but either way you look at it, there was a choice made by me...and I wasn't making the right one. Even to not act for or against, towards or away, is still a choice. God used this exchange to stir up what's been sitting heavy on my spirit...making get into action and make a move. Still have a lot to think about as far as some of the decisions that I need to make...but one action that is apparent that needs to be made is getting my sight, my vision, my eyes, my lamps, back in line with my purpose, my direction... towards Jesus.
The same friend a week earlier gave me a book. The book is called "Scouting the Divine" by Margaret Feinberg. I just spent a few hours reading the first section of this book. It is a really great read...but has some amazing points. Even though some of the ideas and views expressed are things I have heard before...I believe things, ideas, experiences, books, articles, conversations, etc are brought about or back around at the right times. The first section of the book talks about what being a good shepherd really means and understanding the relationship between sheep and their shepherd. The scriptures call Jesus our Good Shepherd. Over 700 times in the Bible there are references to sheep...more than any other animal. Coincidence? Nope. If you are asking why....I should just say....read the book. I'll mess it all up if I try to explain.
However, here are some quotes that really stood out to me from this section in the book. They might not have the same meaning or context to you as they do to me...because we are all coming from different perspectives...but here are one's that spoke and stood out to me.
p26 "From a sheep's perspective, fences prevent the animal from enjoying greener grass; but from a shepherd's perspective, the boundaries ensure the sheep stays safe and doesn't eat something dangerous or get eaten."
p27 "As the words echoed across the field, sheep began running toward Lynne."
Why don't we run towards Jesus when our Shepherd calls? Why are we hesitant? I think it's because we don't truly know his voice or him. Sure we can say.....but.....if we truly knew him, we would follow....we would lay our son up on the alter, we would walk into the firey furnace.
p29 "Where I saw a flock of similar sheep, Lynne saw individuals with unique characteristics and quirks. her affection reminded me of the psalmist who describes every person as being know intimately by God (Psalm 139:13-16). Just as Lynne had a tender history with each of her sheep, each of us has a personal history with the Shepherd."
This comforts me...as I tried to hide my timidness, my fear, my rebellious nature, my uncertainty...Jesus already knows these parts of my personality. He already knows all of my unique characteristics and quirks....he made me, he knitted me, he knows EVERYTHING about me... and yet he still has affection for me. Also, made me think of how I view others. I see a flock of similar people...but God sees individuals with unique characteristics, all of which He loves.
p.31 "Dragging Alano into another fenced section, she placed him in isolation from the other sheep."
Just like Alano, we have to face consequences for our actions. If God did not allow us to suffer the consequences of our actions...we too would become unruly and harmful to those around us. Plus, we do need to fear and respect our Shepherd. Learn to listen to him and follow his guide.
p36 'For more than three weeks, Lynne placed her life on hold for Piaget. Appointments, Spanish lessons, and deadlines at work all faded into the background as she spent countless hours with the sheep. As a good shepherd, Lynne knew that when a sheep is weak and alone, it is quick to give up. "I didn't plan to spend this amount of time these past weeks," Lynne said. "But I have learned a lot. I know my sheep and they know me, but this was a different kind of knowing. Because of what we've been through, there's a greater trust between Piaget and me than with the other sheep."'
We go through some really tough times. But those are the times we should draw closer to Jesus. He's always there watching over us...he doesn't ever leave us. But, these are the times when we can draw closer to him. We get to know him on a deeper level when we are completely reliant on him...going to him as our source.
p39 "that le poop was part of the adventure"
We will come across a lot of poop...and it is just part of the adventure...we shouldn't let us distract us.
p39 "Once they respond to my beckoning I have them forever"
p55 "Without someone to protect, guard, and lead us, we are sheep without a shepherd, defenseless creatures who can destroy ourselves or be destroyed with equal ease."
You can agree or disagree with this point. But, humans are just like sheep. If left without guidance from God...we destroy ourselves or be destroyed with equal ease...there is example after example of this in our world/society.
p60 "Lynne had heard a warning cry and took action without hesitation."
Jesus does the same with us...he is always ready to defend us from predators...but also, this can be flipped...we should be alert and listening for His warning and take action without hesitation.
p61 "Shepherding also teaches you how to lead from the front rather than the back. Whenever sheep are pushed, they'll respond in fear or anxiety - even when (the shepherd does it). Pushing a sheep produces agitation. But when I go ahead of the flock and call them by name, they follow me peacefully. They trust me, and they want to follow."
Jesus doesn't push us at anytime. He is always a perfect gentlemen, a good leader. He says throughout scripture...follow me, I go before you....etc. He doesn't push us. However, we have to trust him and know that he would not lead us anywhere that would endanger us, no where when he has not prepared the way. I need to trust. I know this in my heart....but I need to trust as well. Knowing is not believing....
p71 "Because they were infertile," she said. "They will never hatch. I need to get these geese back to their regular life. For three months they've been sitting on infertile eggs. The only way to get them back to the way they're supposed to be living is to take away their dead eggs."
I know that I have dead eggs that need to be taken away. I know that I have been sitting on some dead eggs. I pray that God will show my dead eggs or simply just take them away. I know that I might look around for my eggs like the geese were...but, I know that I need to let them go and get back to the way I'm supposed to be living.
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