Eastertide
April 13, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
   he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
   for his name’s sake. –Psalm 23:1-3

Is the Lord our shepherd? Most animals that are overseen by a shepherd have no choice in the matter in whether they will be overseen or who the overseer is. I saw on the news recently where a goat farmer whose primary product was cheese, had so many baby goats that the family could not give then the loving attention they needed to turn them into quality milking goats. Goats, like people, can be very stubborn, even mean, if left to find their own way. So this farmer put out a plea for people to play with and pet the baby goats. He was overwhelmed with responders. The news showed many cute little goats being hugged and caressed by what appeared to be even more people. The reporter made the observation that he could not tell who was getting the most out of the process the baby goats or the people petting them*.

We, unlike the goats, have a choice in who will guide us down the path that is actually not only best for us but also best for the whole world. Our shepherd has more than enough loving attention for all of us. Even enough to empower our loving one another. We humans are also stubborn and like the one sheep, Jesus described in Luke 15 who chose to wander off, Jesus cares enough to go and search for us and bring us back into the fold, if we let him.

Our problem is we chase around hunting for a shepherd who will let us define the path while allowing us to be and do whatever we think will make us happy. It never works.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me when I wander off on my own, especially when I think I know your way better than you do. Amen.

*http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cuddlers-wanted-to-hang-out-with-baby-goats-on-virginia-farm/

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.