Wants upon a time

I have always liked gadgets and novelty items but have learnt over the years that they don’t encourage “contentment”. No matter how much I have wanted something, craved it or even lost sleep over it, as soon as I became the possessor of my desired product, I felt a sense of sadness. Although I now had what I wanted, the excitement of wishing and waiting for it to arrive had come to an end. As I looked back, I realised it wasn’t long before the things that I had previously convinced myself that I really needed were stored away out of sight and I was replacing them with other ‘must haves’ that I couldn’t wait to obtain. It was only when I committed the matter to God in prayer, disciplined myself not to watch ‘the gadget show’ or bookmark ‘iwantoneofthose.com’ that I was able to break free of what had become a habit. 

Taking the opening words of Psalm 23 Keller expands the idea that by having the Lord as our Shepherd we have all that we need, we won’t be in want, we won’t be lacking. But it is not about having “stuff” that we think we need but rather is more about having someone in control of our lives who we see as being incomparable to anyone or anything else and regardless of whether we have little or much, whether things are going well for us or we are enduring great hardship.... we are content with what He is doing in our lives. Keller speaks of people he knows who have gone through severe hardships but

“They are under God’s care and they know it. They have entrusted themselves to Christ’s control and found contentment. Contentment should be the hallmark of the man or woman who has put his or her affairs in the hands of God” (p28)

It is easy to feel contented with God when things are running smoothly, it is a far greater challenge to be contented with Him when you know He is all powerful but He does not appear to be taking away the thing that is currently causing us pain and distress. I am reminded of Paul’s words in Philippians  where he ‘confessed’ that he sometimes had more than he needed and sometimes far less and yet was content in both:

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. (Philippians 4:11-12)

What was his secret? Verse 13 says

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

That verse is often quoted as a stand alone phrase but it is good to be reminded that the original context concerned Paul finding contentment in ALL circumstances because the Lord, as his shepherd, was providing him with all the strength he needed to cope with everything that he encountered.

Thank you Lord for your love, your strength and your provision. You are watching out for me, you are watching over me and there is nothing that I am going to experience this week that will take you by surprise or is beyond your ability to help me with. I'm content with this arrangement and thank you, in advance, for the strength you are making available to me so that I can continue the walk. 

On your marks...

Keller speaks about how a shepherd marks his sheep by cutting a notch in their ears (pg 21-22). He compares this to the Jewish practice of driving an awl through the ear of a servant who chooses to stay with his master rather than be released (Deut 15:12-17). This idea of having a tangible sign of ownership is interesting which makes we wonder what is the 'mark' of being a Christian.

Christians come in lots of shapes and sizes but Keller is saying that if we all belong to the same Shepherd then there should be some form of identifiable mark that we all have that shows that we belong to Him. So what is it? Some wear a cross but Keller suggests that our mark involves 'carrying our cross'. I can see the link. If we want to be a disciple, says Jesus,  then we need to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him (Mark 8:34). But this appears to be more about what we do for the Shepherd rather than what the Shepherd does to us to mark us as being His. In a similar way Jesus said that the evidence that someone is His disciple is seen in that they hold to His teaching (John 8:31) and bear much fruit (John 15:8). All of these are defining characteristics of a Christ follower but I still don't quite think they match the analogy of the Shepherd clipping the ear of his sheep so that people can see that they belong to Him. Perhaps closer is what Jesus said in John 13:34-35:

A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

There is a sense here that Christ's flock receives the love of the Shepherd and then (snip) it becomes the agent of that love to others. We love because Christ first loved us, our loving of one another is a clear mark to the observer that we belong to Christ because we are loving like He was. They will know that we are His disciples because of our love. I dont think that means that non-Christians can't be loving...of course they can, and are...what it does mean is that Christians, by nature, must be. So if Christians are not bearing this mark of love then their witness is somewhat...woolly.

I am drawn to the parallel between the snippping of the sheep's ear as a sign of ownership and the words of Jesus' words when He speaks of His sheep in John 10. He speaks about them having sensitive and well-tuned ears: They recognise His voice, listen to it and follow him (John 10:4,27). I have never wanted my ears pierced (and have never quite understood why people get theirs done and then cover their ears with their hair!) but in this context I think I need to make sure both are done!

Also Ephesians 1:13-14 also comes to mind, as it says that the Holy Spirit is a mark for the Christian,

When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.

We are snipped by the Spirit and just as the cutting of the sheep's ear means that something of the sheep is removed in the process so we are called to let the Spirit take the lead instead of us (Romans 8:14) - less of me, more of Him.

So love, listen and "let go" - these are some of the marks that I need to check are in place as I go walking today with my Shepherd.

Ewe are worth it!

I begin this journey on Easter Saturday during an Easter like none other. Due to the virus-related lockdown, our usual gathered community is now meeting through electronic screens and messages, sharing communion, prayers and reflections with each other at a distance. Within this unexpected and unwanted disruption to my normal Easter pattern I have found Keller’s opening observations of how much it costs to be a shepherd to be a helpful Easter reflection. Keller writes of his sheep,

“They belonged to me only by virtue of the fact that I paid hard cash for them. It was money earned by the blood and sweat and tears drawn from my own body during the desperate grinding years of the Depression. And when I bought that first small flock I was buying them literally with my own body which had been laid down with this day in mind. Because of this I felt in a special way that they were in very truth a part of me and I a part of them. There was an intimate identity involved which, though not apparent on the surface to the casual observer, nonetheless made those thirty ewes exceedingly precious to me.” (p19)

To become my Shepherd Jesus didn’t use human currency but He paid the price for my sin through the currency of sacrificial love – through His body, through His blood. And I know that my identity is defined not by what I do or don’t do but by what He has done for me and that I, as one of his sheep, am exceedingly precious to Him.  In this current climate where life is being threatened by a virulent virus, I take comfort in knowing that I have a loving, caring, protecting, generous, sacrificial Shepherd who is watching over me. He chose me, He bought me with a great price, I belong to Him and I am so grateful. Ewes me Lord, for Your Glory! 

Walking on purpose

As I begin this journey I do so with 2 purposes in mind. 

Firstly I want to know my Shepherd more. I am hopeless when it comes to gardening and I know that my "dig everything up just in case it's a weed" approach is not the best one to adopt. I have, however, benefitted greatly over the years from those who not only know what they are doing when it comes to 'all things green' but also, as a result, are able to bring spiritual insights into the agricultural passages found in the Scriptures. As I go through Keller's book, I hope that his insights as a Shepherd will help me to understand, and appreciate more, the character, love and ministry of my Shepherd. 

Secondly, I am aware that because I am the Minister of a Church then I carry the responsibility of being a spiritual "shepherd" to others. When Peter wrote to the Church he said to the elders 

Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. (1 Peter 5:2-4)

As I go through this book, therefore, I want to not only understand what it means to be a godly sheep, following my Shepherd, but also to understand ways in which I can become a better example, and servant, towards those who God has called me to care for in the Church and in my family. As I start the journey the words of an old song come to mind, which I may find myself singing as I walk: 

The Greatest Thing In All My Life Is Knowing You;
The Greatest Thing In All My Life Is Knowing You.
I Want To Know You More, I Want To Know You More.
The Greatest Thing In All My Life Is Knowing You.

The Greatest Thing In All My Life Is Loving You;
The Greatest Thing In All My Life Is Loving You.
I Want To Love You More, I Want To Love You More.
The Greatest Thing In All My Life Is Loving You.

The Greatest Thing In All My Life Is Serving You;
The Greatest Thing In All My Life Is Serving You.
I Want To Serve You More, I Want To Serve You More.
The Greatest Thing In All My Life Is Serving You.

Mark Pendergrass 1977 Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Songs

Going for a walk

Over the next few weeks I am going to be reflecting on W. Phillip Keller's classic book "A shepherd looks at Psalm 23". Feel free to journey with me through this well worn path where we may learn something new that will help us to appreciate Jesus, our good Shepherd, even more than before.

A pdf copy of the book can be downloaded by clicking here. If you want to add any comments to the blog then please feel free to do so beneath it.