2-7-07 Is Ewe His?

February 7, 2007

Is Ewe His?

I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
- John 10:16

Os Hillman tells a story about a friend of his experiencing God’s living word while visiting Israel. They were in the country visiting some of the famous biblical sites when they saw a group of sheepherders. A shepherd brought his flock of sheep into a round pen for the night. Then, a few minutes later, another shepherd brought his flock into the pen. Then, a few minutes later, yet another shepherd brought his sheep into the pen. There were three groups of sheep in the pen with no identifying marks among any of them. The man observing all this wondered how in the world they would separate their sheep the next day.

The next morning, a shepherd came over to the pen and made a comment to his sheep. One by one, the sheep filed out to follow him. Only his sheep followed his voice. The gentleman witnessing the astonishing scene was mesmerized by seeing only that shepherd’s sheep follow him and the others remained in the pen.

Isn’t that just the most amazing picture of Jesus' words spoken centuries earlier?

His sheep hear His voice – amazing -- and there are sheep in another pen – God is calling and we are uniting at the sound of His voice.

A pearl to string: Scriptures state that God searches for His flock -- and that He Himself rescues and "saves" His sheep -- and that He Himself gathers His scattered sheep.
Read these selected sheep quotations out loud -- so that you may "hear" your own voice.... repeating God's words:

Ezekiel 34: 2 (NRSV) Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves. Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, and you clothe yourselves with the wool. You slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep...... 6 My sheep were scattered -- they wandered over all the mountains, and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with NO ONE to search, or seek for them...... 11 For thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will search for my sheep, and will SEEK them out. 12 As shepherds seek-out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will SEEK OUT my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered, on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries; and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses -- and in all the inhabited parts of the land....... 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep....... 16 I will seek the lost -- and I will bring back the strayed; and I will bind up the injured....... 17 As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord GOD: I SHALL JUDGE between SHEEP and SHEEP -- between RAMS and GOATS...... 22 I will SAVE MY FLOCK -- and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will JUDGE between SHEEP and SHEEP....... 30 They shall know that I, the LORD their God, am with them -- and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord GOD. 31 You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture -- and I am your God, says the Lord GOD.

Uniting at the sound of His voice,
Lyndi