It Starts Small

There’s not one of us that claim we have never gotten out of fellowship with our Heavenly Father. Yesterday I wrote about how We are like sheep. Sheep have a natural tendency to wander. Just like sheep we wander. All of the people we read about in God’s Word were brought back into the fellowship with him. Jacob, David, Sampson, Peter, Mark, and myself. We all fell short and wandered away.

It’s in our nature to wander. We get ourselves lost, but it’s God’s nature to bring us back. Backsliders are not lost, we’re just out of fellowship with God.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Psalms 23:3

What happens when we stray? Jesus, our shepherd is chasing after us. He’s right there with us. Our Great Shepherd recognizes that we are one of three type of sheep.

Stubborn: want things our way

Straying: weakly and carelessly fall into a hole of sin

Sick: poisoned and wounded

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalms 23:4

When we wander, we find ourselves in the valley. Our wander is the result of three attitudes: pride (stubbornness), pride (willful disobedience), and pride (unbelief). What does our Great Shepherd do with us when we wander into the valley?

Shepherds carried very little with them. They carried a rod, a staff, and ointment. Since they were constantly protecting and leading the herd, they didn’t have the luxury to carry the kitchen sink with them everywhere they went. Their whole purpose was to watch over, protect, and minister to the sheep.

Stubborn Sheep get the Rod

I’m going to tell you in how shepherds handled stubborn sheep, but know that in our modern day, it’s grim sounding but it’s a picture to us what Jesus does when we get stubborn. In the “old days”, when shepherds had a stubborn sheep, they would take their rod and break its leg. As soon as the leg was broken they would wrap it immediately and put ointment on it to heal. The shepherd would then carry that sheep everywhere they went until that sheep could stand on its own.

Jesus has to break our leg. God chastises us because he loves us. He doesn’t want us to suffer in pain. He doesn’t want us to continually jump in the same hole over and over. Jacob was crippled in the same way. He spent the rest of his life leaning on a staff.

5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Hebrews 12:5-11

When God chastises us, it leads us to righteousness. When Jesus breaks our leg, it’s painful, but leads to great rejoicing! In verse 5, we need to not resent God because in verse 6 he reveals we are his son and daughter. He’s making us right because we are his! Scourging means severe. So when God comes in and breaks your leg, don’t be bitter. Don’t resent it, know that because he loves you so much, he’s doing this for our goodness and righteousness.

Through breaking our leg, our worship is renewed! (V9). Breaking our leg makes us holy and that’s part of God’s purpose in us. God seeks to make us holy (V10). Ultimately, our leg gets broken because we have strayed away from our fellowship with our Heavenly Father. Through our broken leg, he restores our fellowship (v11). In verse five, God says faint not! This is for your own good!

I know without doubt, a year ago Jesus broke my leg. It was very painful at the time, but while I was in Pennsylvania, he tended to the healing of my brokenness. He carried me to Texas and continued to minister for my ailments inside me. Then we walked together to Colorado. He never put my feet on the ground until he knew I was ready.

The interesting thing about a shepherd breaking the leg of one of their sheep, it wasn’t done because the shepherd was frustrated or angry. He did it because he loved that sheep. It probably hurt that shepherd more than it ever hurt that sheep. As he carried that sheep and tended to its needs, something changed in that sheep. When the shepherd put that sheep down to walk, it never left his side. Often, that sheep became the leader of the herd. It constantly could be found at the side of the shepherd. It looked up to see it’s shepherd. It turned its small deaf ears towards the sound of the shepherds voice. When the shepherd walked, it was right there by his side.

I know what this sheep was doing because I am that sheep. That sheep had complete trust in its shepherd. It had reverence and love for its shepherd. It’s painful but the ultimate reward in my journey. There’s times my shepherd has to gently lay his staff on me and say hey, you, don’t go that way. Hey you, listen to my voice and let me guide you. I’ve never been so thankful for a broken leg!

Straying Sheep get the staff

We are all familiar with the crook neck staff shepherds would carry. They were long and had a “u” shape at the end. A shepherds staff was hand made to suit him. He carved his staff and would soak the wood in water to create the “u” shape. It was just big enough to go around the chest a lamb and neck of sheep.

Jesus guides us with his staff. Just as we are about to wander off, he gently lays his staff on our back and leads us with a tap. When we really get to walking off the path he gently puts his staff around our neck and calls us back to the right direction. Jesus never uses his staff to beat on his people. He never has to raise his voice and scream and yell at us to get to going the right direction.

Sick Sheep get the ointment

There was a nasty issue shepherds had deal with. Each night, the shepherd would gather up his sheep and check every single sheep. He would look them over and feel them down to make sure they were in good health and had no wounds. He would take his ointment, olive oil, and he would coat the insides of their noses and cleanse their wounds and put a coat of oil over the wound. There’s this type of fly, that would lay its eggs in the noses of sheep and in their wounds. I know it as blot fly. The eggs would hatch and I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

It meant certain death for the sheep. Jesus anoints us with his oil to deter the devil’s flies. He comforts us when we are bruised and hurt. The hardest times are the darkest times when we are vulnerable to flies. When we have gaping wounds the devil is out to lay his eggs and let the worms infest our heart and mind. This is why when tragedy, suffering, and pain comes, we have to come to our shepherd.

Jesus, just like a shepherd inspects us for wounds. He uses his oil, the Word of God and ministering of the Holy Spirit, to disinfect our woulds and seal them with truth so those wounds don’t become infected. He sits with us. He comforts us. He restores our strength.

Jesus keeps us with his rod, staff, and oil.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Psalm 23:3

Not only does Jesus restore us, he leads us in the path of righteousness. If you only look to be restored, you’ll end up lost and wandering. Jesus says, stay close to me and I will lead you. We need to practice the three “O” while laying in the green pasture.

Obsess over the shepherd

Observe the shepherd

Obey the shepherd

Finally, what is his name sake? God is my shepherd and he leads me for his name’s sake. God’s honor is at stake by the way I live. When pride and selfishness are all we seek, we dishonor the very name of God. Our lives reflect God or the lack of. It’s no wonder this world has amplified its hate of God and Jesus. We all love to claim God and pompously proclaim him on Sunday morning but the rest of the week we live in complete rebellion. Our hearts are corrupt and the choices we make testify silently who we let lead us and guide us. Is the world your shepherd or is Jesus your shepherd?

Friends, don’t wait until Jesus has to break your leg. Make the choice today to turn away from rebellion and pride and choose a shepherd who loves you, cares for you, and trust that he will protect you. I can’t say I’m sorry for having my leg broken. I’m thankful my shepherd lovingly said enough, but everyone has a choice. Don’t wait.