Keller grew up and lived in East Africa, surrounded by simple native herders whose customs closely resembled those of their counterparts in the Middle East. As a young man, he made his living as a sheep owner and sheep rancher. Consequently, he writes as one who has had firsthand experience with every phase of sheep management - just like David, the author of Psalm 23.
His insight is fascinating. I'll break down each phrase of the Psalm in separate posts...
"The Lord is my Shepherd"
It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep. The behavior of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways: Our mass mind (or mob instincts), our fears and timidity, our stubbornness and stupidity, and our perverse habits are all parallels of profound importance. Yet despite all these adverse characteristics Christ chooses us, buys us, calls us by name, makes us His own and delights in caring for us. How amazing it is that individual men and women vehemently refuse and reject the claims of Christ on their lives. They fear that to acknowledge His ownership is to come under the rule of a tyrant. This is difficult to comprehend when one pauses to consider the character of Christ. An unbiased look at His life quickly reveals an individual of enormous compassion and incredible integrity. He never hesitated to make it quite clear that when an individual once came under His management and control there would be a certain new and unique relationship between Him and them. There would be something very special about belonging to this particular Shepherd. There would be a distinct mark upon the man or woman that differentiated them from the rest of the crowd.
"The day I bought my first thirty ewes, my neighbor and I sat on the dusty corral rails that enclosed the sheep pens and admired the choice, strong, well-bred ewes that had become mine. Turning to me, he handed me a large, sharp killing knife and remarked tersely, "Well, Phillip, they're yours. Now you'll have to put your mark on them." I knew exactly what he meant. Each sheep-man had his own distinctive earmark which he cuts into one or other of the ears of his sheep. In this way, even at a distance, it is easy to determine to whom the sheep belongs.
It was not the most pleasant procedure to catch each ewe in turn and lay her ear on a wooden block then notch it deeply with the razor-sharp edge of the knife. There was pain for both of us. But from our mutual suffering an indelible lifelong mark of ownership was made that could never be erased. And from then on every sheep that came into my possession would bear my mark."
For the man or woman who recognizes the claim of Christ and gives allegiance to His absolute ownership, there comes the question of bearing His mark. The mark of the cross is that which should identify us with Himself for all time. The question is - does it?
It is a most serious and sobering transfer of ownership which should make us search our own hearts and motives...
Do I really belong to Him?
Do I really recognize His right to me?
Do I respond to His authority and acknowledge His ownership?
Do I find freedom and complete fulfillment in this arrangement?
Do I sense a purpose and deep contentment because I'm under His direction?
If so, then with genuine gratitude we can exclaim proudly, just as David did, "The Lord is my Shepherd!" I will flourish and thrive no matter what life may bring to me.
No comments:
Post a Comment