Miles In Missions

At the beginning of this year my mission’s agency, SIM, held their annual Spiritual Life Conference in Miango, a retreat center in Nigeria. The theme was Psalm 23.

SLC 2019 Painting by Washiba

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

The speaker started the first session of the conference with a sheep analogy. He talked about how wonderful it would be to follow Jesus, the Shepherd, and be a sheep. All I could think about was “Sheep are stupid!” When I think of a sheep I think of an animal with no brain that just eats and sleeps.

Is that how Jesus wants us to be? Lay around and just eat and sleep and enjoy the pasture and quiet waters? The Holy Spirit convicted me to research sheep and shepherds to learn more. I found out some amazing things;

1. Did you know that sheep need to eat the best grass possible so their wool is very good and pleasing to wool traders? Without the Shepherd leading them to green pastures they will continue to eat in the same pasture until the grass is no good. Then their wool will be coarse and brittle and good to no one.

 I want to eat good grass so I am not coarse and brittle but beautiful and valuable!

2. Did you know that sheep’s wool when wet is so heavy they can actually drown in a pool of water? If they stumble upon a fast paced stream of water, it could actually sweep them off their feet and then once wet, they would drown. The Shepherd will always lead them to quiet waters so they can be refreshed without fear of drowning.

I want to be refreshed and restored and stop fearing that I might drown!

3. Did you know that sheep stray off sometimes or get lost and get themselves into trouble? Wild animals actually lay in wait for these straying sheep so they can devour them. The Shepherd will find that sheep and if that sheep continues to stray the Shepherd will actually break the sheep’s leg. He will then carry the sheep until the leg is healed so that the sheep will begin to understand its need for the Shepherds protection from the animals prowling around waiting to harm it.

I don’t want to stray and be at risk of being devoured by wild animals laying in wait for me!

Oh Lord help me to rest at your feet today, wanting to be led into green pastures and beside quiet waters. Help me to always hear your voice loud and clear so I do not stray or get lost. Thank you for being my Shepherd and always picking me up and carrying me when I think I know my own way. Thank you for protecting me from the evils that lurk in the shadows that I cannot see. Thank you for being a good Shepherd and always bringing me back even though I can be so stupid sometimes.