Shepherd and Sheep

An Illustration 

One night a little sheep with his sleepy eyes and sleepy face went to look for his Shepherd. 
"Why aren't you asleep?" asked The Shepherd without looking at him. He was looking at the stars as he guarded for the night. 

Little Sheep, ignoring his Shepherd's question walked forward and sat on his Shepherd's lap. His Shepherd, looked at him with a smile on his face and pulled him in his embrace. 
"I can't sleep." muttered the little one innocently. "Why arent you asleep?" 

The Shepherd patting his head said "I am guarding." 

Little Sheep, disturbed by the sudden thought that came to his mind asked "Master, when I grow up, will you still stay by my side?" 
"Why did you ask?" 
Little Sheep then explained to his master about the flock of adult sheeps he saw earlier on that day. "They are so huge, so powerful and their shepherd, he was nowhere in sight. Will you...leave me too when I've grown up?" 

The Shepherd picked him up at eye level and rested him on his knees said "When you grow up, you will be old enough to think for yourself. You will be strong enough to take care of yourself. And you may be 'herding' your own flock." 
Little Sheep began to look troubled. "But...I don't want to grow up. I don't want to leave your side and I dont want to herd any flock." 

Placing his head on his sheep's head, the Shepherd said "When did I say I will leave you? But a time will come for a fledgling to leave its nest. That same way, a time will also come for you to be strong enough to live with the other adult sheeps. You will grow big and learn to help me look out for the other little sheeps.( that whats he meant when he told him to herd his own flock). And I will still be with you. " 

Little Sheep pouted as he looked away from his shepherd. "I don't want to grow up." He said timidly. 

His shepherd picked him up and embraced him tightly. "You have to. Everybody does. Don't you worry for I am with you always. As you grow, Little Sheep, you will learn to take care of one another. You will learn to stay together and learn to differentiate friends and foes." 

Little Sheep with a pair of teary eyes looked at his shepherd as he speaks gently and wished with all his heart that he will never have to grow up. 

"You can do it little one. I know you can." said his Shepherd gently.
Little Sheep hugged his Shepherd tightly and nodded. 
"Now go to sleep. It's getting late." As he said this, Little Sheep with his sleepy eyes had already fallen asleep. 

The Shepherd smiled at his sleeping sheep as he placed the little one in one of the grass patch among his flock. 

"And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age." 

Matthew 28:20 

Epilogue

The story is an illustration of us, as the followers of Jesus Christ (His sheep) and the Shepherd, as Jesus Christ - our good Shepherd. 
Just like Little Sheep, we all started as a fresh-young Christian, vulnerable and dependent to God. But someday, a time will come for us to grow into a full grown sheep, who although still under the flock and care of Christ, but independent enough to stand on our own faith. 

One of Jesus's command to us before He was ascented to Heaven, was to "make disciples" from all nations, baptizing them under the trinity of Christ (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) and  "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." 

But the making of disciples and teaching of His commands will never takes place if we, just like little sheep in the story, refuse to grow up. Surely we have heard of the phrase "grow in Him" or "keep on growing in spirit with God" etc. Indeed! as children of God, His followers, His sheeps, we have to continuously growing in Him. 

Growing in the sense that our spiritual level of understanding matured. Improved. Upgraded. Deepened in faith and experiences. (and in the illustration of sheep content, growing from a Little Sheep, to a full grown sheep.) 

Sometimes, unfortunately, as Christians, we are afraid to grow up. We are fearful to grow and prefers to be nursed by God all the time. Repent! My brothers and sisters in Christ. Repent from the wrong mentality that you are having. 

God longs for us to "make disciples" in all nations and God longs for us to be His instruments. "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest fields." ( Matthew 9:37-38) and "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" (Isaiah 6:8).  He yearns for us to share his gospel and make disciples. And these desires can only be done if we respond to Him. To do that, we shall respond by continuously longs for Him, seeks Him, growing in Him and Evangelise! Share the gospel! Redeemed lives! 

Be Still and know that when we grow into a mature Christian, able to share the gospel, redeem lives, baptize people etc. That does not mean that God is not with us. Remember He is Immanuel. His name is Immanuel which means God with us. So, He will be with us from the day you believe, the moment you grow, until you have grown/ is making disciples and forever more. 

Just like a Shepherd that will never leaves his flock so is God. He will never leaves us nor forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5) So, holdling on to that promise let us take a leap of faith, be courageous and be "fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19). 

Do not be afraid to grow in Him. Instead grow and experienced Him more. 
You will be surprised by what He wants you to do and what you never expect yourself can do. 
Don't you worry that God will leave you for He will never leaves you. 

A friend of mine recently shared this beautiful quote with me - a quote that surely everyone of us here often heard but neglected. "If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it." 

So, do not be afraid of growing. Do not be afraid to make disciples and cast your net among the sea of people. Afterall thats what we, followers of Christ need to do. 

God will never leaves you. And though at times, when you are making disciples, when you are in the process of growing/ standing on your own, and God is not there to literally guide you, embrace you, or He may seems silence; remember that does not means He does not exist. Or that He is too far from your reach. Or you are forgotten. God is still there. Forever remains around you. In your heart. In Spirit. Through His words. As you pray. 

Be Still and know that He is Immanuel. He will always be with us "to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20) as He had promised. 

I pray that we continue to grow in Him and may all glory honour and praise be given to God forever and ever. To God be the glory. 

  Amen 

Honesty

It was Saturday. 
I could not really remember when was the exact date. But all I know this is one experienced I will never going to forget that easily. 

Growing up in a Christian family, it is not a rare thing for me to hear the phrase 'Lying is a sin.' Since my Sunday school days I've been taught not to tell a lie.And though the phrase may sounds simple as it is familiar, but the act of honesty is not one easy thing to do. 

I was in a crazy taxi one Saturday evening. 
When I say crazy...it is really crazy! So what happened was, I boarded the taxi, after a few moment's of waiting in the taxi line outside a shopping mall, and the moment I boarded the taxi and told the driver of my destination, he replied by telling me that he only knows the way to the zoo. 

OMG moment no. 1 

It was almost dinner time and my family had been calling me non-stop to get back home asap (as soon as possible). And when I heard him said his only known destination, I was starled for a moment, before I asked "so, do you know how to get to my destination?" Frankly speaking, I was a little annoyed. 

The cabbie driver laughed on his own cheesy joke and assured me that he knows the way to my requested destination "very well. Don't worry miss." 

Okay. 

So I sat in the back seat, playing my handphone as most youth probably would have done these days, when my taxi suddenly jerked so hard, I almost fall forward and hit my face onto the front seat. "What the..." I was about to shout when my driver's voice boomed angrily, as he cursed the big car that cut his lane. "WHAT THE *^#%*" He shouted and turning to face me, he said "did you see that idiot? He just appeared in front of me and cut my lane! That is so dangerous!" he said irritated.

Then just as I thought he will just let the matter rest and drove off, while probably continue to mutter a few more curses under his breath; HE! my crazy taxi driver actually sped ahead in full speed to chase over the idiot's car and curved ahead of a few cars to stand side by side with the Idiot's. 

He winded open his window and with a voice as loud as an angry animal shouted over to the Idiot and a quarrelled took place between two drivers. 

OMG No.2 (I was like...seriously speechless and helpless inside the car. All I hope was this matter rest asap) 

Unfortunately, the quarrell did not end there. 

Idiot, offended by what my taxi driver said actually tailed us all the way as he tried to send me home. 

The two cars sped and turned wildly in the high way trying to run away from each other/ catch up on each other and Idiot with her (and yes! its a her!) big car continued to flash her lights on my taxi. Blinding us from the glare. 

My taxi jerked and skidded violently on the road causing the other cars to horn and sound their horns wildly. And I inside the taxi, hanging on for dear life, while at the same time praying that it will soon be over. Some part of me wish I never boarded the cab! 

On one stop, when the traffic light was red and Idiot was somewhere two cars behind us, the taxi driver actually took out a book which he told me to leave my name and contact no. "I need you to be my witness." He said "In case this goes to the police." (OMG NO. 3) 

I looked at the situation in a fast forward pace. Honestly I dont want to be any witness. I'm pissed and irritated that I am inside a crazy cab and I am pissed and annoyed that an Idiot is chasing after me and I...dont even feel like I wanna be any witness for two hot-tempered-unreasonable-filthy-mouths psychos. 

But I took the book anyway, and I decided to lie. 

I shortened my name, and I gave a false contact no. Inside I was thinking that it will be a damn-serve-you-right moment if the case actually go to the sheriff and he (the taxi driver) could not contact me. 

However, God is holy. 
And so is the Holy Spirit. 

He (my Holy Spirit), actually warned me to be honest. 
But I retaliated. 

I lied anyway and returned him the book,  I wish he will never have to use. 

The traffic light turned to green and the chased continues. I was driven around to an unknown location as the taxi tried to get away from the Idiot, who continued to prey on us like a mad dog. 

I tried to remain calm and in my stillness, I could sense my Holy Spirit warning me again and again with my Sunday school phrase "Lying is a sin. Lying is a sin. Lying Yuliana, is a sin." 
 For a moment I thought I was becoming schizophernic as the voices continues to speak in my heart. "Be Honest!" "You are a Christian, be honest. Lying is a sin." 

I shook my head to get rid of the voices. "I'm lying for a good reason." I defended as I said these words to myself. But the Holy Spirit within me replied me saying " A sin is a sin. Lying is a sin. There is no such thing as good lie and bad lie. All lies are sins." 

OMG. 

Real OMG! O...G in fact...Oh... God. I thought to myself almost like a plead.

The taxi continued to stir me in my seat shifting me back and front, side to side as crazy driver sped and skidded away from Idiot. Behind, Idiot, with her flash lights glaring at our vehicle, kept coming closer and further and closer, and I inside the taxi, battling with my Christian mind and the Holy Spirit. 

"Be honest!" was His last words. 

I swear to you, I was not running, and I was no longer afraid, or annoyed, but I was panting as I battled with God's warning to be holy (within me).  Then as my taxi, went into a hiding place, and Idiot, finding us nowhere to be found, made her search elsewhere, I finally had a decision. 

After about 5 minutes, my taxi went out its hiding place and my driver, probably calming himself too, began to drive safely (Halleluya!) towards my home address. 

As I paid my bill, which he had deducted from the unnessecary extra miles, Taxi man apologized to me "for the inconvenience" and he "hope I dont have to call you for any sue-ing case." I looked at the book as he read my contact no. The fake no. And as I tried to make sense of all the craziness that had taken place, I began to understand why it took so long to arrive home. 

God is giving me a chance to be honest. 

I kept my change and before I left the cabbie, I said "Hey, sorry, can I write something on your book?" 
Taxi man handed me the book and the pen. 

I looked at the false number I had written earlier on, and striked it out and corrected the mistakes. "I'm willing to help." I said as I handed him back the book. 

I got down from the taxi. 
My knees are woobling like jellies. I didnt know the ride actually took the living warmth out of me.

But I was glad I do not have to lie. 

As I walked slowly, very slowly towards my apartment's lift, I could hear a gentle voice within me said "That's honesty." 

~ 

Epilogue

Before this, I never know that to be honest, it requires courage. 
But indeed, true honesty requires Faith and Courage.  

Colossians Chapter 3: 9 says, as one of the rules of holy living, "Do not lie.." 

As Christians, sometimes, situations may force us to lie. But as the bible instructed us to do, we are to live a holy life just as God is holy (1 Peter 1:16)  and do not conform to the patterns of the world (Romans 12:2). We are called to obey the commands of God, and though at times it may not be easy for us to be different or holy, but let us strive to make every effort to be holy (Hebrew 12:14). 
 
Even a little lie, as simple as faking a contact number, matters to God what more when the lie is beyond that? 

Pray that in all circumstances, we learn to have faith readers. Pray also that we can continue to put our trusts in the Lord for He is good. 

Remember that when God is there to caution our sinfulness, He is not doing that to make you feel bad, but instead, He is there to encourage you, to guide you to be brave and to help you out of your temptations. 

May all glory, honour and praise be to God and for God forever and ever. 

Amen 

Love and Peace, 

Yuliana 

 

Shalom

 

   

My name is Yuliana Kasman. 

Welcome to my blog. 

As a Christian, I love to tell the stories of Jesus and His words from the Old Testaments to the New Testaments. Just like you I am just an ordinary person and it has always been my desire to be use as His tool to glorify His name. 

My Heart's Passion is to share the gospel of Christ through print ministry. 

It has never occurs to me that I will be dedicating a blog to share His stories. However, now that I am given the opportunity to do so, let me with all my heart share with you some of the personal experiences God has allow to happen in my life and/or in the lives of other great Christians I know around me and how through all these experiences, though not all of it is wonderful, yet brings about the beauty of God's love, His grace, His characteristics, His plans, His involvements and most important of all, His Living Prensence from generations to generations.

Once again let me greets you with Peace, Shalom

and let us begin 

His Stories