MERRY MONDAY BY PARRIS BAILEY-
“I lay down my life for the sheep, I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.”John 10:15
The month before Hurricane Katrina hit our city, Frank and I traveled to Bulgaria to preach. Little did I realize what would happen 30 days later. But while in Bulgaria I had a very touching experience that would carry me through Katrina and beyond. We had just eaten lunch up in the mountains and were making our way back down into town traveling through quaint little villages. It was if I was being transported into another world-everything seem to stand out to me in a vivid way. The sunflowers were in full bloom, the sun was bright and beautiful and to my amazement I saw this shepherd. His face with filled with ruggedness and yet joyfulness and he seemed to look right at me. I felt this intense warmth come communicating that “everything would be alright”. His sheep were all around him. He wore shepherd garb from head to toe- and the years upon his face did him well. All I can say is I will never forget that Shepherd I knew that the Lord was my shepherd and He will be our guide all through our life unto the end. No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Everyday when we wake up he will satisfy us to the uttermost. When we follow him we don’t have to worry of others doing us harm. Yes-indeed.
Spurgeon said, “The Good Shepherd does not stint his sheep, but he gives them so much, that they lie down amid the exceeding plenty of the green pastures. They cannot eat it all, and they lie down in the midst of a superabundance, which infinite mercy has provided. See, then, how God’s boundless love piles mountain upon mountain, that we, up from the depths of our distress, may climb to the heights of his blessedness, and enjoy the fullness of the glory which God has treasured up for us in the person of Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Slowly the good Shepherd wins the confidence of the soul. He patiently waits for us as if he rescued us from an animal shelter! Grace works upon our hearts and cements us to Christ all the days of our lives. Do we listen for His voice? Do we accept the good things along with the bad? All I have to do is close my eyes and see that Shepherd standing there with his sheep, day after day. He watches over me and guides through the great maze of life. The shepherd Christ has gone before us and will watch over you. All we have to do is follow him all the days of our life.