Do we follow Him or does He follow us?…
I was thinking about it this morning as I was reading through John chapter 10. He is the Great Shepherd of the sheep and it says that we hear His voice and follow Him. So much of the time, we as humans don’t even consider that God might have a different plan for us than we have for ourselves. So we plan our day, our calendar, and ask the Lord to bless it. Then we go and live out our lives without too much thought about Him being there; until there’s trouble. Then we cry out to Him and wonder how God could let such things happen to us! We really need to be God followers. We need to ask the Lord about His thoughts and plans, His priorities, and then follow whatever He indicates to us. Our thoughts during the day should be, “Lord, what do you want me to do here?” and we should be ready to change our plans to accomodate. I had a dead car battery this morning, shortly after my devotions and before I hit the office. I had just prayed and told the Lord that I wanted to follow His plan for the day, even though mine was highly scheduled. I managed to get the car going with Tim’s help, and got it to the auto parts store where they confirmed it was the battery and got me going with a new one. I had a great conversation with the man who installed the new battery; one I wouldn’t have had if the car hadn’t died when it did. Was that the Lord’s plan? Absolutely! Yet not mine. I’m determined: Lord don’t let me live the life I plan out with my PDA, let me have the privilege of living alongside You and what You’re doing. Blessings on your day! PB
PS; tell me what’s wrong with the photo I’ve included here, as far as sheep and shepherds…
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August 9th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
The shephard is following the sheep. God doesn’t follow us. We need to follow Him in everything!!!
August 11th, 2007 at 6:34 am
Now, see, I was going to say that too. but Fay beat me too it.
This is literally what God told me this morning when I woke up.It was before I read this:
MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE. AND THE SHEPHERD SEZ IT’S TIME TO GET UP !!!
So, here I am. All bright eyed and bushy-tailed!!!!!
I read this before heading out for yet anther run. I had planned to run 6 miles, But who knows? Maybe the Lord has other plans. Injury has already forced me to cut back and train for only a 1/2 marathon this September, instead of the full one I wanted to do.
One day, all of these little runs are going to lead up to that big scary marathon next spring. And If I run one minute faster, or one mile farther than the shepherd leads me too, I’m gonna be in BIG trouble come race day!!!
So here’s my meditation for today.
The Lord is my pace setter. I shall not race. He maketh me to run on the bike path in a ten minute pace, not the eight minute one my flesh wants to do. He leadeth me beside the Erie canal.
He restoreth my soul with worship tunes on the iPod. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name sake. Because if I try to give myself the glory for all this, I am dead meat. (Lamb chops, to be exact.)
Yea, though I run too fast and feel like I’m gonna shrivel up and die halfway into my workout, I will fear no evil, for He is with me. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, and tell me it’s okay to stop and walk for a couple of minutes, if I need to, even though my flesh makes me feel guilty about this sometimes.
He preparest a table before me, and last night it had birthday cake on it, so I better hurry up and finish this, because I have a few extra evil calories to burn off. Thou anointest my head with sunscreen, and the Gatorade runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.
(which is why the Shepherd has to be IN FRONT, to make room for all that goodness and mercy He wants to put behind me. )
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. And I’m really really hoping that house has a Jacuzzi, Lord. I’m gonna need it after this run called life is over.
It hurts.
October 26th, 2007 at 11:26 pm
Like Fay and Heather, I was going to say the sheep are leading the shepherd instead of vice versa! I guess great minds think alike.