In the Bible our relationship with God is likened to that of a shepherd and his sheep. In the first part of this blog series, I examined what the nature of sheep is like. They are dependent, defenseless, and directionless. God created incredibly needy animals, and then declares repeatedly that people are like sheep [Ezekiel 34:31].
As I’ve learned more about sheep, my view of what God means when he calls himself a Good Shepherd has also changed: for a needy sheep to thrive, a shepherd must be a constant provider, leader, and protector. Unfortunately, Middle Eastern, biblical shepherding was quite different than the Western style today. This discrepancy affects our understanding of God as our Shepherd.
In the next two posts of this series I’d like to share four passages about shepherding that, when understood in context, give precious revelations into God’s shepherding role.* My hope is that as aspects of God’s shepherding heart toward you are explored, you will recognize more moments in which God has been your Shepherd, and your trust of and intimacy with Him will deepen.
I’ll start with that which has been the most surprising to me: our Shepherd is a warrior. In 1 Samuel 17:34-35, the shepherd David describes his attitude toward the care of his flock:
“David persisted… ‘When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death.’”
If I were a shepherd and a lion stole one of my lambs, I’m pretty sure I would accept the loss! David displays a drastically different attitude as a shepherd: He is not sedate and passive. He is fiercely passionate. As our Shepherd, God will risk everything to ensure our peace and freedom. He is dangerous on our behalf. We can describe our Shepherd God as C.S. Lewis described Aslan in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe: He’s not tame, but He’s good.
Secondly, our Shepherd is compassionate, and His compassion moves Him to action. Matthew 9:36 says, “When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and [downcast], like sheep without a shepherd.”
The word “downcast” is a term that comes from a common event in the life of a sheep: becoming “cast.” A sheep becomes cast when it has somehow fallen on its back, a deadly situation it usually cannot escape on its own. There are four ways this can happen:
Over-eating. The sheep may get heavy and bloated, and roll over too far on its back when it lies down for its after-dinner-nap.
Over-burdens. If a sheep isn’t around its shepherd much, its wool can accumulate brambles and the sheep can easily lose its balance.
Overconfidence. A sheep may stray from the prepared pasture into land that seems more appealing. Often, the taller grass hides hollows into which the sheep might roll. (There was reason the shepherd didn’t choose that pasture. . . .)
Victimization. Becoming cast isn’t always the sheep’s fault. You’ve heard of cow tipping. Think: sheep tipping.
Poor sheep. Just watch a few seconds of this for a great visual:
Lying there, the sheep struggles. All the gas in its belly moves to the top, organs shift, blood drains from its legs, and if it is not found quickly it is likely die from the trauma, dehydration, or predators. If other sheep find it, they are not able to help the sheep to its feet either. The only way to help their friend is to cry out for the shepherd.
Even if the sheep-friends could right their buddy themselves, it wouldn’t be good. If a sheep has been cast for any significant period, it cannot simply be turned over or it will suffer, fall down again, or possibly even die because of how its innards have shifted during the time. There is an intimate process that must happen for each sheep every time it is cast:
First, the shepherd finds and calms his sheep. He speaks to it, reassuring it that he is near, that it’s going to be okay. As he comforts it, he massages its belly, restoring the organs to their proper place. He moves on to the legs, rubbing them to restore the circulation so it will have a strong footing when he turns it over. When it is safe to do so, he will set it on its feet but does not yet let go. Holding it securely between his legs, he makes sure it can stand; if over-burdened wool is the cause of the casting, he will use this opportunity to sheer it. Finally, the shepherd takes the first few steps with his sheep, carefully, lovingly restoring it to freedom.
The shepherd will do this every time it’s necessary. To him, each sheep is precious and worth the effort. I love the intimacy of the process – the commitment of the shepherd to his sheep, the tender attention to detail, the willing patience. . . . It is a beautiful glimpse into the heart and actions of our “good shepherd” [John 10:11].
Though the Bible says God is a warrior and a compassionate master, depending on Him to come through daily is still terribly difficult. It can be easier to trust Him when we remember the times we’ve been cast and seen our Shepherd restore us, or been attacked and seen Him fight for us. Take some time to remember the ways God has fought for or restored you in the past – in big and small ways. Thank Him for the goodness you have experienced, or cry out to Him about that which still makes no sense to you.
In the final part of this series, I will share two other passages which shed light on the shepherding heart of God. May you see Him ever more clearly as He cares for you.
*Most of my information has come from the Gracestoration Bible Study (www.gracestoration.org) and from Philip Keller’s book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. Keller was a shepherd in Africa for a while, where shepherding is still as it was in biblical times.
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