I read in a story that a sheperd would break a sheep's leg if it persistantly wondered from the fold, and the it wouldn't wander anymore... lol Just joking ! Actually, the story of Amos by Francine Rivers spoke alot of the ways of a sheperd.....pretty good story....I enjoyed the book...
I heard this from across the pulpit several times...
I grew up in a family that owned sheep. My grandpa and his brothers had 10,000 head on open range before people started putting up fences.
sheep are funny creatures. they will be standing in a field of rye grass and get their heads stuck in a fence eating the wild stuff that is growing on the other side. Ive seen it a thousand times.
on the subject of the sheppard. When I was a kid, every evening my Papa would walk out of his house and yell "here lamb" and all the sheep would start walking to the barn. Now when he would go on vacation, I would have to bring them in. I would have to walk out to the field and gather them up, always tracking down those one or two that wanted to stay behind in the field.....but Papa just had to calll them once and they all came running.
Another thing. If I were there with him, I would try to count the sheep as they came into the barn. we had to make sure they were all there. now when I was a kid, Papa still had a couple hundred head. That aint easy to count when they are coming thru the gate 5 or 6 deep. but Papa would just look at the heard, and say "2 or missing" he knew them all individually. Generally by knowing which one was missing, he would know where to look....
That was probably before the made recorders that you could record his voice and play it for them.
We used to live near a goat farm and the same thing happened about the goats getting their horns hung in the fence.
I heard this from across the pulpit several times...
Actually, when I listened to it on the audio book "The Prophet" (i think that was it) by Francine Rivers, it was a very, very moving part of the story....REally showed God's mercy toward us and how he has to let things happen to us or we will just wander away..
Anyone hear the song "The Sheperd's Call" ? A beautil song. I think the Crabbs sing it......
__________________
I never met a chocolate I didn't like!
*sigh* I did nothing yesterday.... I wasn't finished so I did nothing again today!
(For all you that don't know, Bro. Baird is my 'Brother from another Mother'. He and I share something most precious - a phenominal Pastor - but we were from different Churches. Glad to have you here, Bro. Baird!)
Shepherds? A few things come to mind at this point:
1. "A Shepherd's Heart" ... message by Bro. O. R. Fauss at Texas Bible College years ago. It's a classic and one that every Pastor / Minister should listen to.
2. I have a message I preach called "The Instruments of a Foolish Shepherd". God tells the people, "I'm weary of dealing with your weakness." and then tells the Prophet "It's up to you to make a difference, but know you can't do it with the instruments of a foolish shepherd!" I did some pretty in depth research and was quite amazed at what the shepherds found to be 'instruments of a foolish shepherd'.
3. On my installation service the former Pastor brought a 'staff' (cut out of plywood, sanded and varnished) down the aisle. At the front he pulled out a permanent marker and signed his name, his wife signed her name and immediately the entire Church filed out to sign the staff (signifying their desire for me to be their Shepherd) and hug our necks.
Quite touching, actually. I still have it (it made it through the hurricane) and look at it often... especially in times of intricate 'decision making'. I want to perpetually keep foremost in my mind the responsibility I have to these precious people.
Interestingly enough, when I look at it I often find myself sad by seeing the names of those that signed it... and didn't mean what they said... and happy about those that signed it and have cherished my family ever since.
Blessings
Bro. you do seem to have a pastors heart. That is good.
I am having an Amish man make a staff with the double crook.
He is carving the date of installation service, pastors name, and
"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: … gather the lambs … carry them …and shall gently lead …." Isa 40:11
I am having an Amish man make a staff with the double crook.
He is carving the date of installation service, pastors name, and
"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: … gather the lambs … carry them …and shall gently lead …." Isa 40:11
I am having an Amish man make a staff with the double crook.
He is carving the date of installation service, pastors name, and
"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: … gather the lambs … carry them …and shall gently lead …." Isa 40:11
Looks really good
Thanks again
Hope I can return the favor
.
Bro. Baird,
Speaking of 'Amish'... there is a tremendous Amish restaurant by you folks that is probably some of the best food I've ever eaten. Ate there with Pastor and his Son-In-Law who Pastors there during that Sectional thingy I preached over there.
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