From time to time we have been going back and unpacking this beautiful Psalm of David, the shepherd king. I think we have only scratched the surface. I love to quote this Psalm from the old melodic, King James Version. As we will notice there are some very important lessons for us in this verse whether you are looking at it as one of God’s sheep or one of His precious shepherds!

For help, I will borrow thoughts from an old shepherd, Phillip Keller, who labored for years in Australia as a shepherd. His observations are insightful. He points out over and over how sheep must be aggressively managed and guided and NEVER just “left to themselves! They are creatures of habit and will follow the same trails, graze the same hills until the become ruts and turn them into wasteland, polluting the ground with disease and parasites! Many fine sheep ranches have been ruined by over-grazing!”

“No other class of livestock require more careful handling. Sheep cannot just be turned out loose on their own!” Shepherds, do you catch the spiritual implication of that? If the OWNERS reputation was to be held in High Esteem, the sheep had to be constantly under the shepherd’s expert care. It reflects back on the OWNER and the shepherd, for HIS NAME’s SAKE! It reflects back on the glory of God when we see ragged,discouraged church members, longing for solid spiritual food and loving care!

The flock needed to be shifted from time to time to new fresh ground, new forage! Oh, how even the older sheep would get excited when new, fresh ground, new green luscious grass was opened to them. They rejoiced! This means there has to be a pre-determined plan, a planned rotation. It was for the glory of God! For His Names Sake! The owner’s name, his reputation, all depended on the health and contentment of the flock! There is a need for good shepherds friends! Opening fresh new feeding areas!

This is where Operation Barnabus Internationl of Advancing Missions comes in. They locate sheep that need fresh food, new pastures, uplifting words of encouragement, healing medically, spiritually and emotionally. They bring help, gather lonely pastors and their wives, let them know they are not alone, identify their practical as well as spiritual needs, love all over them and advocate for them in the U.S., giving them a prayer and financial support group they could not do on their own. They “refresh tired feet, fitting them with sandals “. Get that? What a work! This is the work of the Shepherd! Do you wonder my wife and I love and support it?

Help them via your prayers and support this year to open some fresh pastures as they visit many out of the way countries. Jesus said, “Feed my sheep,” let’s do it! Advancing Native Missions is in Charlottelesville, Va.

I would like to connect this with 2 Cor. 4:15, ” so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God” God is the Owner…it is for His Names sake…nothing done for His flock is in vain.

Terry