May 3, 2020
JOHN 10:1-10
This morning we find ourselves once again at the place in the lectionary that I call “Sheep Sunday!” Yep, it’s once again time to entertain the image of sheep, mud, manure and pastures. I agree, there is nothing cuter than a little lamb, but in general, sheep that have been out in the field are usually smelly, with muddy, tangled hair and all sorts of other nasty stuff. So, when Jesus refers to us as sheep, it isn’t a very flattering metaphor. Yet, however unflattering the image is, deep down we know that our sin makes us “dirty sheep” with all sorts of unimaginable things in our fur. Luckily for us, dirty sheep are still incredibly valuable to their owner, and in our case, we sinners are very valuable to God.
Listen to the assurance of this fact from Matthew 18:12-14 in the parable of the lost sheep. “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! 14 In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.
I read that sheep in general are also easily scared and fearful. In fact, even the sound of running water frightens them. Perhaps that is why Psalm 23 tells us that a good shepherd takes his sheep beside the still waters. The one thing that calms a herd of sheep down is the voice of their shepherd. Hearing the shepherd’s voice lets them know that he is near and will take care of them.
In these anxious times, as we wait for the pandemic to pass, we too need the voice of our Shepherd, to help us calm our fears. If we are still and make an effort to block out the constant chatter in our mind, we can hear the voice of the Shepherd. Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us. Often the voice of the Holy Spirit comes as a feeling or a new understanding regarding Jesus’ teachings and how we are living our own lives.
The other way that we can listen to the voice of the Shepherd is by reading God’s Word. Many have good intentions of reading Scripture daily, but when the day is done, they have not made time to even open the Bible’s cover. The good Shepherd puts us first in His life, shouldn’t we put reading God’s Word first in our lives? You need not read an entire book of the Bible at one sitting unless you want to, but reading just a few verses and then thinking about them and turning them over in your mind during the day tunes you into the Shepherd’s voice.
Prayer is also a process of listening for the voice of the Shepherd. There are those who avoid praying because they feel that just do not know what to say, after all, prayers need to be formal and well worded, don’t they? There are many prayers that have been written as models for us to use for our own personal prayer. Prayers that praise God, thank God, and ask for intersessions for others. It is fine to use these prayers. Yet, there use is not the same as being prayerful. Being prayerful allows us to be in touch with God through everything in our daily lives. In prayerfulness, we see God everywhere and to talk to God everywhere. For example, one can see God around us in the beauty of creation. The bright greens of spring, and as we look at the beauty our hearts talk to God in thankfulness.
This week, I would like each of you to try and spend some time sitting quietly waiting on the presence of God. It is not easy as we need to resist all the distractions that whirl around in our minds. Sitting quietly and quieting your mind, often allows you to hear in your hearts the voice of the Shepherd. Sitting quietly and waiting is a form of love and prayer to God. This is a different type of prayer that is unfamiliar to most people. Yet, it helps to connect you moment by moment with the living God. As you try this approach, keep in mind that Martin Luther said, “The fewer the words, the better the prayer.”
As we go through the upcoming week, let us remember that Jesus cares for us so much, even though we are sheep that go astray, that He gave His life for us on the cross so that we might have eternal life. We are greatly loved, and Jesus is always calling to us to come rest in Him. Jesus said, “Do not be afraid.” Let these words give you peace throughout your week knowing that Jesus is holding the door open for you to come to Him for comfort during the storm. The question is, will we come to Him?
Amen