Greener Pastures

Good Morning Joes and Janes;

I have a story to share this morning about what I saw on my morning run, (which has turned into a walk because of a pulled muscle).  On my regular route there is a ranch on the East side of the road that has close to 50 head of sheep.  They are usually all quietly grazing in a pasture of tall green grass.

God has green pastures for his sheep

This morning before I got within a quarter of a mile I heard one of the sheep kicking up a ruckus.  As I drew closer I saw this one lone buck come running towards the fence.  He was in a storage yard full of farm equipment and full of weeds near the road.  All of the other sheep were quietly grazing still out in the rich green grass.

This one buck sheep took faltering steps once he neared me, unsure if I would help or hurt him.  He eventually followed me along the fence as far as he could.  As I walked on down the road unable to help him, I could still hear him bleating in the distance.  He was looking for a way to get back to the green pastures with the rest of the flock.

I don’t know how he got out of the pasture with the rest of the sheep but he reminds me of us as humans at times.  God calls those who follow and believe in him sheep.

In John 10:14 – 15 Jesus says; “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—15  just as the Father knows me and I know the Father–and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

We, as followers of Jesus Christ are to be like sheep, the sheep out in the green grass of the pasture content in what he has provided for us.  Unfortunately sometimes we come up with other ideas, things to do which we think will be more exciting or fulfilling or just more the way we want to do things.  We end up like the sheep I saw this morning; stuck in an unkempt back water of the farm with nothing but weeds to eat and just wishing we could find our way back to the pasture.

In this state we can even make the mistake of not recognizing the Masters voice.  If I had wanted to I could have opened the gate for the sheep and led him, with a little grain, even farther from the rest of the flock.  Mmmm, lamb chops!  But I digress.

By consuming the Word of God, (the Bible) and following its teachings we can know before we stray from the pasture.  Prayer allows us to know the voice of God and stay in what He has planned for us.  If and when we find ourselves “out in the weeds” it is important to turn quickly to hear the Master’s voice.  He is the only one who will lead us back to green pastures.  Others may lead us farther and farther from where we are truly happy and possibly to our physical destruction.

Well, I have to go out and make a living.  I hope you enjoy green pastures today!

Regular Joe

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