August 23.
Keeping Sheep

Psalms 23:3

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

Do you ever wonder what would happen to you if you turn down the wrong road? What if your foot slips? What if you make mistakes in life – bad mistakes that are difficult to recover from? Often people will not allow you to mess up but once. If you stumble or stomp your foot one time, your friends become few. Your family may warn you that they will forgive you once, but do it no more. You may lose a job or be put out of school by messing up just one time.

But it is good to know that we are serving a God that has already prepared a way to get us back into the fold. I’m serving the kind of God that will give me another chance even if I stumble. If you stumble and fall, God forgives you and wipes the slate clean. If you stumble again, He forgives again. So there is always a second chance.

This text was penned by a man who was not only a shepherd but he was also a sheep. David was a sheep of the greater shepherd. He knew all about sheep for he was a keeper of sheep. Psalm 100 says we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. If you are born again, you are a sheep. If not, whether you like it or not, you are a goat. If you are a sheep, this verse is for you.

A sheep is a helpless creature by himself. He cannot outrun any other animal in the field. If he gets in water over his head, he will drown. He doesn’t have sharp teeth to fight off his enemies. If he eats too much and lies down, he can’t get back up by himself. That’s why a shepherd will leave the ninety-nine sheep in the fold to go look for the lost one. (Luke 15:4) He knows the sheep has a problem and will not make it back without help. If the sheep is sick, he applies oil to his wounds. If a sheep is stubborn, he uses his rod. If a sheep strays, the shepherd uses his staff to keep him in line. A good shepherd knows how to care for his sheep.