In an abortion first it is necessary to deny a child’s existence and then to deny it life. In preparation for Easter may we spend time to mourn our loss as a nation for the many who will never try on little shoes or buy an Easter dress. But our Good Shepherd knows each one of even His smallest and forgotten lambs by name. On Good Friday He choose to die in our place and on Easter Sunday to give us an abundant life!
True confession time this morning: I was a terrible teacher! Though had I studied hard and finished my teacher training nothing had prepared me for the reality of a classroom. The kids were way smarter than me and unimpressed with my grade point average; unmoved by my compassion and uninterested in my presentation. What I was lacking was patience and a strategy for moving them towards the goal of learning anything. In the end I walked away from teaching and went into business. I found that running crews of men was way easier than convincing tenth graders to love English poetry!
God on the other hand is a great teacher. He first delivered His people from slavery in Egypt and then parted the Red Sea so they could escape from Pharaoh’s army. In the desert He sent them honey flavored manna every morning and fresh water from a rock at noon. But instead of trusting and obeying Him; His class doubted His goodness, provoked him with idol worship and decided going back to Egypt was a better idea. Just about then if I were in God’s shoes the book of Exodus would have been much shorter and may have had the title of “They All Died in the Desert”!
But God is not like me at all. He is infinitely patient and kind. Yes there were consequences for the people; some of them very severe, but in spite of everything He stayed with them. He lovingly corrected, provided and then guided them through forty long years in the desert. The wonderful news for us is that in spite of our goof-ups, failures and sins; God won’t give up on us. He has forgiven us from the cross and he has called us to follow Him all through our wilderness. He is a patient teacher and a Good shepherd. He won’t quit and go into some other business but rather He promises to walk with us and guide us all the way home!
Often when I read the 23rd Psalm I think of God being with me in the valley. My mind conjures up a scene of Him walking beside me. Though He is always with us the story the psalmist is telling is that He is our shepherd. A shepherd always goes before the sheep.
Our Shepherd Jesus has gone ahead of us through tears as He wept with his friends. He has gone first through Gethsemane’s sorrow and then Calvary’s suffering. He has gone ahead to the throne with His sacrifice and He waits our arrival with the reward of an eternal life with Him.
That is why He can most tenderly wipe away any tear. There He will heal all disease. He will restore every loss. He will last of all remove even the shadows of death and lead us by the River of the water of Life. What a promise we have and what an amazingly Good Shepherd we follow!
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