A Look At Sheep

I am currently doing a bible study by Lysa TerKeurst…”Finding I Am”, and I love it!

We are exploring and discussing the seven I Am statements of Jesus found in the Gospel of John. 

This past week, we have been looking at…”I Am the Good Shepherd”…John 10:11.

Not only have I found this week’s lessons fascinating, but several things Lysa shared really hit home with me!

I learned that sheep are mentioned in the Bible over 300 times – more than any other animal!

I also learned a few characteristics of sheep:

·      Sheep are defenseless animals.

·      Sheep are prone to go astray.

·      Sheep have poor eyesight.

·      Sheep tend to follow other sheep without thinking.

·      Sheep are stubborn.

Sheep are so helpless that is has been known for sheep to actually get stuck on their backs and dye because they were unable to get back on their feet.

Lysa pointed out that is why you and I might be referred to as sheep!  Those characteristics do describe us at times…don’t they?!!

We looked at the parable in John 15:4- 7, which says…

”Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.  Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?  And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.  Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’  I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

Lysa than asked if we had ever wondered how that one sheep got lost?

Did the sheep look at the green grass and thought…”Wow…this looks good”?

Did the pleasure of immediately satisfying him desire get him off track, keeping him from paying attention to where the other sheep were?

Did the sheep look up and suddenly realize the rest of the sheep were nowhere to be found?

Lysa asked is that how we all get lost sometimes.

We find ourselves a little discouraged or distracted, and we just start to subtly slide away.

We start sitting on the back row at church.

We miss a few weeks of church.

We don’t sign up for the next small group study.

One step leads to the next and before long we look up and wonder…”How in the world did I get here?  And, where are all the other sheep?

Lysa then shared when she was going through a really difficult time.  Her friend would try to reach out to her, but Lysa wouldn’t talk to her and her friend knew that she wasn’t sharing/talking to anyone about it her hurt.

Lysa shared…”It wasn’t because I didn’t want to talk to her about my sorrow.  It was because I felt if I admitted to her disillusioned I was that God wasn’t answering the prayer I’ve prayed for years, it would give God even more reason to never answer it.  That’s not true; I see it now.  But the more along we get with the lies; the more confused we become….Finding I am…p. 72.

And that’s where the enemy wants us – alone.  Along with our own tangled thoughts.  Alone with his whispered lies that start to sound more and more like truths.  Separated from the very people who could speak courage into our deep places flirting with discouragement and defeat.  Separated from friends who could let us stand on their faith when our own gets a little shaky.

The enemy knows if he can isolate us, he can intimidate us.  Confuse us.  Deceive us.  And ultimately, make us believe that the safer paths in life are ones apart from God and our friends who serve God…Finding I am…p. 72.

I have to be completely honest!  I have done that!

I have put up walls…pulled back…when I am hurting because I don’t want others to know what I am dealing with…what I am walking through?

Sometimes it is because it hurts so much and I am afraid if I share…I will start crying and the tears won’t stop!

So, I put on a brave face…I smile…and no one knows that deeply I am hurting on the inside!

Lysa continued to share…”Honestly, I’d been so focused on my desires, my suggestions, and my strategies for fixing things I’d lost sight of my Good Shepherd with a good plan”.

This led her to pray the following prayer…”God, I confess I’ve not been trusting You to lead me.  I’ve been so focused on my desperation that I couldn’t hear Your revelation”.

She felt God speak to her heart... confirming that His plans were good for her…to trust Him…and follow Him.

And she felt the Lord encouraging her to reconnect with her good friend that could speak His good truth over her and her struggles!

After that, not only did Lysa get deeply honest with her good friend that she had pushed away, but she circled up several trusted companions and let truth build brides to keep them connected in the midst of disappointments and heartbreaks that each of they were facing!

And then she asked this question in our bible study material…”Do you have your fellow sheep around you”?

And I immediately thought of the precious group of ladies God has brought me into my life!

Ladies who love me…just as I am!

And when there are times of celebrations in my life…they rejoice and celebrate with me!

And when I am facing trials and heartbreaks…they are they are for me too…praying with me…encouraging me in my walk…and just loving me through the difficult time!

So, I am encouraged in the future…. not to put walls…not to pull away…but to gather this precious group of ladies around…my sheep…and let them minister to me in this season of my life!

I pray that you have a special group of sheep in your life as well…those you can turn to and know that they are there for you!

And more importantly…each of us needs to remember that we can always…always…turn to the Good Shepherd…who is always there!

James 4:8 says, ”Come near to God and he will come near to you”!

Dear Heavenly Father…thank you that as we draw near to You…You will come near to us!  And thank you for blessing us with sheep in our lives that will encourage us in our daily walk…help us to draw close to th