The Shepherd and His Sheep - Part 19

The Lord is my Shepherd. He paid for me with His own life. His life was a ransom payment.

I already belonged to Him, but I wondered away to see if the grass really was greener on the other side of the fence. I pushed through the fence and sampled the grass trying to find a better patch. As I ate, I wandered, only thinking of the next patch and wondering if it would be less bitter than the last one. I got very lost. I forgot where I belonged. I was not cared for so my wool was matted and muddy. My wounds festered and soon I was so far gone none would have ever recognize me as having been in the care of the Good Shepherd.

Distracted, hemmed in by the roots of bitterness, thorns of bitterness, and boulders of anger I was stuck in the dark gully of guilt. That is where the Shepherd found me and rescued me. However He had to pay the owner of guilt gully for all I had eaten and for “taking care of me” while I spent time there. The price paid for me was not gold, silver or priceless gems. The price was the Shepherd’s own life blood. He gave His life for me. I am His and He is mine. The Lord is my Shepherd. I will follow Him all the days of my life.

“For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.

Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.”  1 Peter 1:18-21 (NLT)

By Commissioner Debi Bell