I Need a Shepherd
Scripture to Ponder:
Psalms 23
John 10
Picture it… a large green meadow flowing with hills and valleys as far as the eye can see. In the distance, a shepherd stands under a shade tree watching over his flock. He is their defender, their safe place, their provider, their rest. They are soley dependant upon him. He ensures their safety as they travel the terrain for food and water. They listen for his voice to guide them. They trust him. As the sheep travel, they are focused on one primary factor - food. Nose to the ground, focused on filling their stomachs, chewing away. Now if I am going to draw a parallel of myself and a sheep, I have already picked mine out of the flock. Look a little to the left. On over. A little farther. There she is. Alone. Oblivious. Enjoying the sun shining on her fur and eating to her little hearts content. We will call her Meryl Sheep. Meryl isn't paying attention to where she is wandering because she is so focused on eating. Yep, I identify with ol' Meryl. I too, at times, obliviously wander off course and need my shepherd to come carry me back to safety.
Meryl has no ability to see the danger that's lurking over the next hillside, so she keeps nose to the ground, until it's present. Luckily, her shepherd can see what's ahead. He can protect her from dangers she's not even aware of, if she'll just listens to his voice. You see, she knows his voice because of the time spent together. The shepherd knows the importance of protecting his sheep and the sheep come to fully trust him. What beautiful imagery! Our Good Shepherd sees what we cannot see. He knows what we need, he knows what's ahead, and he gives fully of himself for our benefit. I don't know about you, but I am immensely grateful for my shepherd. When the ol’ Meryl in me becomes so distracted by my current circumstances and wanders too far, I hear my shepherd's voice calling, pursuing me. Just as the shepherd values his sheep, our shepherd so values us!
The shepherd daily anoints his sheep with oil to bring them peace from insects and pest that threaten to bother them. He uses it to calm them or to help them heal from injury. Ol’ Meryl gets her head annointed so she can eat and rest in peace, yet she still wanders. How much more do we need that sweet daily annointing from our Father? His love overwhelms me when I think of how he loves and cares for us. If we learn to daily come to our Good Shepherd, we will learn that he cares for us to the greatest extent. He provides, protects, heals, calms, and guides us out of his love for us! His plan for us is far greater than our own!
Our Good Shepherd knows what is ahead, knows the dangers that threaten to overtake, and knows what we have need of. A shepherd protects and provides so that his sheep will become calm enough to lay down to rest. When we think of who Christ is and all he has done, how can we not take comfort and find our rest in him? When our minds keep us awake at night, picture the shepherd setting at the gate protecting them so they are able to lay down to rest, and know your Shepherd does the same for you. He knows rough waters bring danger for his sheep, so he lovingly guides them to calm waters for restoration. Everything they have need of is known and taken care of by the shepherd. Oh sisters, it’s no different for us, in him we find all that we need.
No matter where we find ourselves in the field of life, the mountain or the valley, we can rest in the truth that we have a Good Shepherd that will guide us. Our circumstances don't have to distract us. Just like ol' Meryl, we can keep our nose to the ground in peace because we know our shepherd's voice. We know we are safe in his care! Just like Meryl, I need a shepherd. Poor Meryl would be lost without her shepherd and so would I! Lord, bind my wandering heart to thee. You are my shepherd and I know your voice.
Questions to Ponder:
Do I know my Shepherd’s voice?
Have I become distracted by circumstances, and forgotten that my Shepherd is in control?
Do I trust my shepherd, the one who sees what's ahead?
Advertising Gimmicks
Scripture to Ponder:
Galatians 1:10, 6:1-5
Matthew 6:1-4
Mark 7:6
James 1:19-27
As a little girl I used to spend many summer days at my grandparent's house. It's funny how certain things stand out and are committed to memory for a lifetime. I recall that my Nanny sure loved to shop and QVC was by far her favorite television channel. I'm pretty sure she had them on speed dial. She would be watching the advertisement, tell me she needed that item, and I would hear the dial tone as she placed the phone to her ear. They greeted her by name and in one or two words she was finished. That let me know she was certainly a frequent flyer. Days would pass and at last the eagerly awaited box would arrive on her porch. As she opened the box and unveiled it's contents, she would again say how she had needed said item. In reality, nope, she didn't need it, but the advertising of the item had pulled her in yet again and if the item was on sale...well, maybe she needed two!
There are all kinds of advertising gimmicks ranging from get rich quick schemes to the inflatable dancing man flailing back and forth on the car lot, the infamous Clydesdale horses to Tony the Tiger, or infomercial commercials that offer amazing deals and if you order in 5 minutes you get 2 for 39.99. We've seen them all and at times may get deceived, but we often wonder if it's really what it seems. Right? In reality, we want the honest truth, not just gimmicks that make us think something is what it truly isn't.
What about ourselves? Do we have any gimmicks we use to get people to assume we are something we're truly not? We go to church, we are involved in our community, and volunteer our time, but are our hearts where they need to be? On the outside appearances can say we're a good Christian, but God knows the status of our heart. That's the most important thing and appearances don't always show what's in someone's heart. At times, we may even become deceived by our own pretending, when in reality we're not truly where we need to be in our relationship with Christ. When's the last time we've asked Christ to search our heart and truly listened for his response?
Christ gave warning to this type of behavior in Scripture. He called them hypocrites. No sugarcoating there. I wish I could have seen their faces as he taught. I imagine pride was rearing it's ugly head about that time. But let's not deceive ourselves; we can all examine ourselves and find room for improvements. If you can't, let me follow in the footsteps of Scripture - yep, I'm calling you a Hypocrite! In all seriousness, this is an important warning. He's telling us to be careful. Don't get caught up in what other's think, what their opinions are, or the praise and affirmation you get from other people. He's saying, I know your heart and I can see what others can't. Who do we think we're fooling? We set in church with a smile, yet pride and bitterness has taken root in our heart, or we're angry, or we're worrying... the list goes on and on. Others may be fooled by appearances, sweet sister, but God is not and truly we're only hurting ourselves. He knows the very depths of our hearts, more so than we know ourselves, and that's why he's the one we go to, asking for him to search our hearts, so that we're not deceiving ourselves.
It's easy to point out areas of improvement for others. We're pretty good at that, because it keeps the focus off of our flaws and sin nature, but let's get past the gimmicks and appearances so that we can keep moving forward in this journey to be more like Christ. Let's be sisters who are honest and transparent with Christ so that our relationship grows, because there are no gimmicks with Christ. He knows our hearts and isn't fooled by our outward appearances or words. Let's be sisters who encourage one another to dig deeper than we ever have before in our relationship with Christ!
Questions to Ponder:
Are there areas of my life where I seek affirmation from others instead of from God?
Have I asked Christ to search my heart and reveal anything that is displeasing to him?
Green Thumb
Scripture to Ponder:
Psalms 1
John 15
Flowers and plants are incredibly beautiful. I love to watch them grow and bloom and bring color to the world around us. What a spectacular opportunity to see God's beauty in every detail. If nurtured correctly, some have quite long lifespans.
Insert me...
When I am left responsible, they last a week. Maybe I'm exaggerating or being dramatic, so I'll give them 2 weeks of survival to be generous. I begin with the best of intentions, but then I get busy and distracted. My mind is running in a hundred other directions, and before it can circle back around to watering, it's far too late for resuscitation. The leaves have wilted and the blooms lay scattered on the ground, along with my hopes and dreams of their survival. I clean the mess up and think to myself, maybe next year.
Hmmm, do we have any areas of our lives where this pattern seems familiar: the great intentions and a start, but soon the intentions are forgotten and it dwindles out? Just as plants require nutrients to flourish and remain rooted, so does our spiritual growth. It requires that it be tended to for it to become fruitful.
Sweet sister, there's a reason his word is referred to as daily bread. We have to be connected daily for our relationship to grow deep roots. Now, these aren't like the grey roots starting to appear at my hairline, nope, these are deep roots in our relationship with Christ that strengthen and sustain it. They keep us grounded in Christ, regardless of circumstances we may be facing. He is the firm foundation we become deeply rooted in. When the roots take hold, the plant can bloom and begin to bear fruit. Storms will come but deep roots stay grounded. What beautiful imagery!
Let me give a glimmer of hope here friend, it's attainable!!! That deeply rooted, connected relationship with Christ is within your reach. You see, I became determined that I was going to be diligent with plants. I researched, I readied their soil, I placed the planters in adequate sunlight, I planted them at the right time, I watered them daily, I fed them weekly, and they not only survived but flourished. I had mounds of bell peppers and cucumbers and my flowers vined from the ceiling to the floor. I was exuberant! All I had to do was slow down and dedicate my time and attention.
Our spiritual growth can begin to grow too, if we tend to it. If we slow down and make our relationship with Christ a priority, those deep roots will begin to take hold. We will begin to grow as he reveals new truths to our hearts through his word and the Holy Spirit. How amazing is our God that he can take us from the soil of the ground and change us to become beautiful and fruitful for his glory! May we encourage our sisters in Christ to grow in their personal relationship with him and lift each other up as we all are growing together!
Questions to Ponder:
1) Is my relationship with Christ grounded or do I need to put in the work to begin growing deep roots?
2) Is there evidence of my relationship bearing fruit?
3) How am I encouraging my sisters in Christ in their personal walk with Christ?
A Fountain of Cheese and Endless Chips Kinda Love
Scripture to Ponder:
John 15
Psalms 73:23-28
1 Chronicles 16
When we drive through the local donut shop, I'm not sure about you, but I don't normally ask for half of one glazed donut and a half-full cup of coffee. If you do, next time I will gladly ride along to have your extra half along with my whole - ya know, just to balance things out! We don't request our employer to only deposit half our paycheck, nor do we only want them to serve us a half-full order of cheese dip at our local favorite Mexican restaurant. No way, José, we want the whole thing. Preferably a fountain of cheese dip and endless chips. Maybe I shouldn't be writing while hungry, but hopefuly you're starting to understand the direction we're going here. When we love something, we want as much as we can get.
What about our relationships? What would happen if we gave an excuse each time we were supposed to spend time with a friend? We had intentions to spend time, but instead gave our time and attention to something else. I predict that the relationship would eventually fizzle out. We all have a deep desire to be liked, loved, and wanted. We were designed for relationships. We enjoy time with others and begin to miss our loved ones when we haven't been able to see them in some time. Now, I'm not saying you have to be a social butterfly. Goodness knows I'm not. I like to think of myself as more of a social dragonfly, per se. While I can socialize, I am certainly not proficient in this area and after a while I am ready to curl up on the couch with a good book - in solitude. Don't judge me, even Jesus needed some alone time and after all, I am just trying to be more like him.
We can reflect on some important truths here. Christ doesn't want just a small portion of ourselves and our time. In fact, he doesn't even want half. He is our Father and wants us to be all in. Our relationship is stronger when we're all in, fully committed, and wholly devoted. Relationships can't be sustained if they're only one sided. Truth is sisters, He's already done his part to have a relationship with us and the rest depends upon us.
A relationship with Christ, while we're gathering truths by comparing earthly relationships, can't even begin to compare to an earthly relationship. Numbers 23:19 reminds us that God is not man. He is honest and faithful in ALL of his ways. Even with the best of intentions, we will fail, dissappoint, and be dissappointed in our relationships with people, but not with Christ. His very character and being is love itself. He wants to be the ONE relationship that sustains us. He wants to be Lord of our life. He loves us and desires a close relationship. Pause and let that thought sink in. Christ wants a close relationship with YOU! WOW! How it must grieve his heart when we neglect the relationship he desires with us.
Sister, are you all in? Are you fully committed to Christ and to making your relationship with him a priority? No matter where we are in our walk, we can always gather truths and reminders to draw close and continually seek the Father. Growing in our relationship is a lifelong journey. Let's go all in. Let's make him Lord of our lives, where he rightfully belongs. Let's be daughters of the King, and sisters who are fully devoted and wholly committed to our Savior!
Questions to Consider:
1) What relationship consumes the majority of my time and attention?
2) Am I all in with Christ? Is he my whole life, or have I given him less than he deserves?
3) Am I daily investing in my relationship with Christ?
Look-alike Contest
Bearing the image of Christ
Scripture to dive into:
Colossians 1
Romans 8
Philippians 2
Have you ever seen someone who looks so identical to someone else you look multiple times just to be sure? You squint, put on your glasses, move closer for a second glimpse because the resemblance is uncanny and you're sure your mind must be playing a trick. Some call this having a doppelganger or a twin. They bear the image of someone else. Now, some get lucky with their twin and some of us may start to resemble Gollum from Lord of the Rings but don't worry friend, we're all precious in his sight! Bearing someone's image can have its pros and cons. You may have their kind eyes, giving heart, or maybe your noticing similarities to that one family member that's a little out there and now you're questioning everything you do. Don't worry though, if you're the latter there's still hope.
Colossians poses a powerful question, who is the image of God? (Colossians 1:15) In this verse its talking about Christ being the image of God and in Romans 8:29 it tells us we are to be conformed to the image of his son! Wow, take a minute to ponder that. Can you imagine if others took a second glance at us just because we bear his image so well? Talk about life goals as a daughter of the king!
I think that is one of the most powerful questions we can ask ourselves and the most difficult task to undertake. How do we get from point A to point B, from asking ourselves if we bear his image to actually bearing his image? JESUS. Sweet sisters, we could never do it on our own merit. We could try our hardest the rest of our days and we would still fail. In our humaness, we try to measure up, but because of his grace we don't have to. Hallelujah! I don't know about you but that makes me sigh in relief. The closer we walk with him and the deeper our relationship grows, the more we will bear his image. We don't have to get ourselves together to come to Jesus, we come to Jesus so he can transform us into his image. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalms 139:23-24) We come to him and allow him to lead and change us. When we are in love with our Savior our desire to become like him only grows and through that relationship, if we lean in, he will begin to transform us so we can bear his image. I don't know your heart sister, but my deepest desire is to walk so closely with the Father that I bear his image. That others can see Christ through me. That's my desire and prayer for you as well sister!
We're sisters in Christ, but that doesn't mean the walk is easy. Are we bearing his image or is self getting in the way? It's a question we should ask ourselves daily. Im stepping on my own toes here. How would my daily life look different if I regularly asked myself am I bearing his image in this moment? When life doesn't go as planned, when we face hurt, when we experience grief, when we're rejected or left out, when we're dealing with the struggles of daily life, when the bank account has seen better days, when a diagnosis knocks the breath out of you, when friends walk away, when life simply shatters on the ground around you, who's image do we bear? Sweet sisters, what we cling to on the good days will overflow and carry us through on the hard days. His love for you will sustain you each and every day no matter the circumstances surrounding you. He's that good!
We desperately need a sisterhood of his daughters joining together to lift one another up through encouragement and prayer because LIFE IS HARD! May we be the women of that sisterhood. May we lift and encourage sisters, support them through life, and take them boldly to the throne of grace. May we be sisters who bear his image so that others can know him!
Questions to consider-
1) Do I desire a deeper walk and am I actively working on my personal relationship?
2) Am I bearing the image of Christ? In what areas can I improve to be more Christlike?
3) Does everyone see Christ in me, even those who have hurt or rejected me?