I have mentioned this before about people being related to sheep in the Word of God. Jesus said in John 10:11, ”I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”
Shepherding, at times, was a solitary job when the shepherd would watch over the sheep. They would protect them from predators and anything else that would try to harm them. They would lead them to green pastures where there was plenty of food and where there were still waters so they would be able to drink without getting swept away by the current, because they weren’t very intelligent animals. At times they would wander away from the herd and the shepherd would go and find them and lead them back to the fold.
While typing this tidbit Psalms 23 came to my mind, which is a very well-known Psalm. King David wrote this Psalm and who would know about sheep any better than him seeing he was a shepherd himself at one time. In this Psalm David put himself in the place of a sheep and the Lord in the place of a shepherd. As a shepherd David was blessed and his faith was built and strengthened. How do I know this? Because of what David said when he faced the giant Goliath in 1st Samuel 17:33-37, “Then Saul said to David, ‘You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.’ But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.’ And David said, ‘The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.’ And Saul said to David, ‘Go, and may the LORD be with you.’”
Being in a solitary place night and day helped David to focus on the Lord and the things of His kingdom without all distractions that take place in every generation. Over the years I have worked in different positions where I worked pretty much by myself and a good part of my attention and focus was on the Lord and the things of His kingdom and it was great and very fulfilling, praise the Lord! It is when you have distractions that it is hard to focus on the Lord. This should be a lesson for all of us with all the distractions we face in our day to be sure to get alone with the Lord and spend some quality time with Him in prayer, Bible study, praise and thanksgiving. Jesus truly is the gentle Shepherd who loves us with a jealous and compassionate love. He knows that we are burdened down with responsibilities that sometimes seem to overwhelm us so in His gentle way He says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (NASB)
Knowing all this I suggest that if you fall into this category and are burdened down with what feels like the weight of the world on your shoulders at times, go and sit at the feet of the true Shepherd and tell Him about what is going on and let Him minister to you and let Him lift your heavy burdens. The Lord is gentle and humble, compassionate and loving and He wants to help you. Then start thanking and praising Him. God bless you and have a great day!!
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