BAA, BAA....

That's me--20 years ago--with a friend's black lamb

My home has a reproduction of Warner Sallman's famed painting, “The Lord Is My Shepherd.”* Because of copyright laws, I won't include a copied image in this blog. But you know the one: white-robed Jesus, holding a lamb, other sheep around him. See an image and discussion at this link: TheLord is My Shepherd | The Warner Sallman Collection Notice the rocky hills and “still waters” in the background. Then, to the left of Jesus, a little black sheep, nudging the folds of His robe, as though saying, I want to stay close to the shepherd.

The scene reminds me of the 1874 hymn “Close to Thee” by prolific (and blind) hymn-writer Fanny Crosby:

Thou my everlasting portion, more than friend or life to me,
All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with Thee.

Refrain:Close to Thee, close to Thee,/Close to Thee, close to Thee;
All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with Thee.

“Black sheep” have gotten something of a bad rap in our English language. The term has come to mean someone who doesn't “fit in” with society or family. Crankiness, conflict, criticism—the negatives of human relationships seem to dominate their personalities. Why “black sheep” came to be associated with this, I don't know, except that the color “black” is often associated with sin. But real, woolly “black sheep” aren't that way because of any personality issue. Their “blackness” is a genetic thing. Sheep carry one recessive gene which provide a one-in-four chance of emerging black. If both parents have this one-in-four gene, and both “go-black” genes randomly end up together, the lamb emerges black.

But are they loners like their human namesakes? Not really. Sheep are actually social animals, comfortable in groups and generally getting along. Even the black ones can be found in the midst of a white woolly crowd. The greatest social attribute of sheep is a “herd mentality.” They stick together.

As for the black wool, go back to the nursery rhyme about “Baa, baa, black sheep.” The speaker wanted to buy the black wool which, according to what I read, was valued for the dark color woven into plaids. But the white wool was more versatile as it could be dyed into other colors.

But what of the little black sheep in Sallman's art, leaning into Jesus? The more I think about it, that's where the black sheep belonged—as close to the Savior as possible. That's true of us, too, regardless of whether we tend toward the rebellious or antisocial behavior that humans now label “black sheep.” All of us need to stay “close to Him.” Some for correction of behavior. Some for comfort. Some for simple companionship. And the Shepherd still speaks to His flocks. His Words are now in a Book. One in which He called Himself, “The Good Shepherd” (John 10). In staying close to The Book, I stay close to the Savior.

I'm reminded of a little poem by England's William Blake (1757-1827) which begins,“Little Lamb, who made thee?” The poem probes the spiritual symbol of lambs, God the Creator, and Jesus, the Lamb of God. This gets into heavy theology—a surprising thing packed into a seemingly simple verse. But it reminds me that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, also the Lamb of God who died for my sins, still beckons me to the safe place by His side. And sensing, as it were, my head nudging His robes, I am content to be “close to Thee.”

SHEPHERD SONGS

Psalm 23--in a modern "Psalter" (notice the "page number" 
is the Psalm number)

(Part of a monthly series on hymns.)

 “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Who hasn't memorized those words that begin Psalm 23? Its words of protection and comfort are taught children and often quoted at the end of life. It's no surprise that the theme of Jesus as our Shepherd should run throughout the history of hymns.

Probably the best known hymn of the Scottish psalter, it was published four decades after the 1611 King James translation of the Bible. By adding rhyme and tune to chapters of Psalms, it was the preferred worship songbook for those (including early Calvinists) who believed only Bible passages should be sung in church. Then came reformers like Germany's Martin Luther, who felt Christians needed new songs to sing. He and others composed hymns embracing Bible truths but didn't try to squeeze Bible translation into poetic forms. Many were inspired by Psalm 23, the Shepherd song. You've probably sung many in your life. Here, in historical order, are a few:

“Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us” (1836)--Englishwoman Dorothea Ann Thrupp prepared little devotional and song books for children, usually just using her initials (D.A.T.) for published writings. But one little poem in her book, telling about Jesus' tender care and “pleasant pastures,” was left unsigned. Most believe it was hers, just an oversight of credit. American composer William Bradbury added a tender tune. How many millions have sung about “Blessed Jesus, thou hast bought us, thine we are.”

“He Leadeth Me” (1862)--Joseph Gilmore, son of a New Hampshire governor, became a minister and one day was supplying the pulpit at a Philadelphia Church. His text was Psalm 23, but when he began, he couldn't get past “He leadeth me beside the still waters.” Preaching during some of the darkest days of the Civil War, he likely felt emotionally overwhelmed. After the service, while in the parlor of his host that Sunday, a poem came to him and he scribbled words on a piece of paper. He later showed them to his wife; she sent them to a magazine, which published them. Unknown to him, well-known hymn composer William Bradbury (who did the music for the hymn mentioned above) noticed the poem and wrote a new tune for it—then put it in a hymnal! Three years after Gilmore jotted the lyrics, he opened the hymnal of a church were he was a guest preacher and discovered his poem-now-hymn. Of his poem, he remarked, “It makes no difference how we are led, or whether we are led, so long as we are sure God is leading us.”

“The King of Love My Shepherd Is”(1868)--The Welsh had their own hymn based on Psalm 23, but Anglican clergyman Henry Baker gave it a fresh translated face. It's reported that as he died, for his last words he quoted from that hymn: “Perverse and foolish oft I strayed, But yet in love He sought me.” That verse ends: “And on His shoulder gently laid, and home rejoicing brought me.”

“Shepherd of Love”(1966)--John W. Peterson (1921-2000), called the “Dean of Contemporary Gospel Singers,” wrote some 1,200 Gospel songs and hymns plus many cantatas. This song, and one he wrote in 1958 with another Gospel musician, Alfred Smith, “Surely Goodness and Mercy” rely on the imagery of Psalm 23.

“The New Twenty-third”(1969)--Ralph Carmichael (b. 1927) was introduced to music at the age of four when handed a fiddle by his pastor, also a fiddler. He also studied piano, trumpet and voice and became a minister of music and composer to Billy Graham films. He began his Psalm 23 Gospel song, “Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything that I need.”

“Gentle Shepherd” (1975)--Prodigious performers and composers Bill and Gloria Gaither, who left teaching for Gospel music careers, translated Psalm 23 to this tender hymn with a lullaby feel to it. The couple will celebrate their 59^th year of marriage this year—a union that has produced memorable Gospel music that reached around the world.

“Shepherd Me, O God” (1986)--Representative of newer, not-as-well-known songs based on Psalm 23 is this one by Marty Haugen. One year in the 1980s while snowbound at the Holden Village retreat center in North Central Washington, he came up with his simple chorus based on Psalm 23. Full—like the original psalm—of comforting metaphors, it's been ecumenically embraced by several Christian faith traditions.

No matter which of these “shepherd” songs is nearest your heart, never lose sight of Jesus applying the metaphor to Himself:

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)

Here is a video with scenic background for “Shepherd Me, O God,” composed 35 years ago in Washington's Cascade Mountains:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=shepherd+me+o+god&view=detail&mid=021A3D258D0E9415522D021A3D258D0E9415522D&FORM=VIRE0&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dshepherd%2bme%2bo%2bgod%26cvid%3df02daecd5a2b4ee6a16d82bfd0bc7793%26aqs%3dedge..69i57j0l6.5778j0j1%26FORM%3dANSPA1%26PC%3dU531

SOFT (Psalm 95)

A sheep (this one a puzzle piece--thank you, grandsons)

and a strong rock--two major symbols for Psalm 95

(An ongoing series on the 48 psalms recommended for reading during times of “feeling down,” as suggested in pastor-counselor David Seamands’ book, Healing for Damaged Emotions)

The soft strains of a 1980 worship song birthed in southern California always come to mind when I read Psalm 95:

Come, let us worship and bow down,

Let us kneel before the Lord our God our Maker,

For He is our God, and we are the people of his pasture,

And the sheep of His hand (2x)

For a couple years, I lived and worked within a few miles of that song’s origins in the Maranatha! music ministry produced from Calvary Chapel, which greatly ministered to the hippie culture of that era.  I wonder how many people realized it was lifted right out of Psalm 95:6-7, or that this psalm has a strong message for hard hearts

So, how can warnings about “hardness” bring any comfort to times we feel down? I think the answer is in looking at place-names attached to an incident from the Exodus 17, when the newly-freed Israelites found themselves facing death because there was no water in the desert. They were blaming God, not worshipping Him.Then God told Moses to strike a certain rock, and out came a huge flow for all. From then on, the location was called “Massah” (meaning “testing”) and “Meribah” (meaning quarreling) because “they tested the LORD saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’” (Exodus 17:7).

DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN

Baseball great Yogi Berra was known for his odd sayings, including the redundant “it’s deja vu all over again.” With spiritual maturity comes the ability to see ourselves in the mistakes of the past, such as the grumbling over lack of water. Thanks to living in a country where tap water is chlorinated and tested, I don’t face what the Israelites did with thirst and deprivation. But our culture sends griping and complaining into new areas. That can lead to a high sense of entitlement—what we think God should supply—without simply grateful for what we already have. Constantly I have to ask myself if I can say, with Paul:

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. (Philippians 4:12)

JUST PRAISE

During that same time that I lived in southern California, I was part of a Fullerton, Calif., church choir that sang a worship concert with the Gaither song, “Let’s Just Praise the Lord.” I still find myself humming that tune and thinking of the words, realizing how praise helps lift me when I am feeling down. When I feel “hard” and besieged, focusing on God’s mercies and greatness help to “soften” my heart. And that is the lesson that opens this psalm with its exhortation to praise God:

Come let us sing for joy to the LORD,

Let us shout aloud  to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before him with thanksgiving 

And extol him with music and song. (vv. 1-2)

The psalmist goes on to consider God as Creator of the world (vv. 3-5), then creator of us, humans, by allegory “people of his pasture, the flock under his care” (v. 7). Can you not help but stop here and think of Jesus as the Great Shepherd? Psalm 95 teaches that there are many ways to praise God: sing, shout aloud, extol with music, bow down, kneel... Even silence can be worship: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

“Count your blessings,” begins an old hymn, “name them one by one.” When I feel down and a bit hard-hearted, it’s the best spiritual medicine I can take.

Making 'Psense' of Psalms--Psalm 23: Shepherd

 

Lambs from the flock of one of my friends. She was always
glad to show her sheep to visitors.  One time I took my mother-
in-law, then in her 80s, who thrilled to bottle-feed an orphan lamb.

"Is it a need or a want? That phrase sometimes came into family discussions about things our children’s friends had, and they didn’t. Living on a school teacher’s salary meant lowered expectations of “want,” while thanking God for giving us what we needed.  I sometimes think of that when I read the first verse of Psalm 23 in four-hundred-year-old vocabulary: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”  Read through the linguistic lenses of the 21^st century, it seems to imply that we will have no expectations, no desires--something like zombies. Nothing could be further than scriptural truth. More accurately, as some translations render it, “I shall not be in want.” Or, “I shall lack nothing.” The God who formed every fiber of my being, and knows my innermost thoughts, is my provider in every way: body, mind, and spirit.

Our understanding of this beloved psalm was given a boost with the 1970 release of Philip Keller’s A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. A pastor and author, for eight years Keller was a shepherd, gaining insight into the tasks so perfectly applied as Psalm 23’s spiritual metaphor. Although Jesus, like other Jewish boys, learned his father’s life skill—in this case, carpentry--we don’t think of him as “Jesus, the Good Carpenter.” Wood is inanimate and yields to the saw, hammer, and chisel. But sheep are very needy living creatures—yes, mostly “dumb.” They need a caring, wise shepherd. As this psalm reveals, we are so much like them, in need of a Good Shepherd.

Even the first five words of this psalm are like taking the hand of our loving, caring God.  Someone once suggested meditating on each word by itself.
“The”—the only one, the holy one, the unique one.  Not plural. Singular.
“LORD”—the small-capital-letter name in English Bibles for “Yahweh,” the holy covenant name of God given in Moses’ times: “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14).
“Is”—not “was,” as in a former deiety, but “is” for now and forever. In a gift book titled Safe in the Shepherd’s Arms, Max Lucado said that David wrote this psalm to remind us of who God is: the Yahweh who is unchanging, uncaused, and ungoverned (Nelson, p. 13).
“My”—yes, others’ shepherd, but also personally, intimately mine. I am not too insignificant for Him.
“Shepherd”—not an impersonal deity who demands worship and who is as capricious as the winds, but a caring, nurturing, sacrificing God who tends to every detail of my life.

SHEPHERD VIEWPOINTS

Seasoned Bible teachers, in trying to outline Psalm 23, only prove that it cannot be studied enough. Warren Wiersbe, well-known for his “Be-“ study series, included this psalm in “Be Worshipful” and divided it like this:
            *In the pasture—Adequacy (vs. 1-3)
            *In the valley—Serenity (v. 4)
            *In the fold—Certainty (v. 5)
            *In the Father’s house—Eternity (v. 6)

Derek Kidner, a commentary-writer who ferrets out meanings of original languages, gave this outline:

            *The Shepherd (1-4)
            *The Friend (5-6)

William MacDonald, who compiled a layman-friendly Believer’s Bible Commentary, said that this outline by J.R. Littleproud (from the 1930s) was hard to improve on:

            *The secret of a happy life—every need supplied.
            *The secret of a happy death—every fear removed.
            *The secret of a happy eternity---every desire fulfilled.

James Montgomery Boice, who preached on psalms for nearly three years from the pulpit of a huge Philadelphia church, outlined off the statement: “Because the Lord is my Shepherd”:

            *I shall not be in want.
            *I shall not lack rest.
            *I shall not lack life.
            *I shall not lack guidance
            *I shall not lack safety.
            *I shall not lack provision.
            *I shall not lack a heavenly home.

 A SHEEP’S SURVIVAL VIEWPOINT

The sheep needs its shepherd for everything. It needs led to good pasture, free of poisonous plants. Once there, the sheep needs to be free of fear. The flock cannot be agitated by bully sheep. Those afflicted by insects or skin diseases (for which ancient shepherds carried a salve of olive oil, sulfur and spices) must be doctored.  Yes, their heads anointed with oil (v. 5). The water must be clean and calm. A sheep needs enough food to feel full.

The sheep need a protector. Some, in their stupidity, would lie down in a hollow and lose their balance, unable to right themselves. These “cast” sheep were at risk of death within hours as gases built up in the body. A shepherd had to “right” the heavy sheep for it to survive. The shepherd also protected from wild animals. Remember how David boasted to Goliath that God had delivered him from the paws of the lion and bear (1 Samuel 17:37)? He had no gun, just his rod, slingshot, and physical power. When sheep were herded into a rock-fenced sheepfold at night, the shepherd slept across the entrance.

The shepherd was intensely loyal to his own sheep, even knowing the name of each. A hireling shepherd had no such attachment and would run away if danger came (John 10:11-13). In calling Himself “The Good Shepherd,” Jesus committed to the responsibility of total, loving care for His own followers.

THE SHEEP’S REVIVING VIEWPOINT

As humans created in the image of God, we have something sheep don’t—an anticipation of something beyond the grave. How many, on their deathbeds, have found unequivocal comfort in these concluding words?
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:6)
That statement has a “present” and a “future.”  “Surely” means “without doubt,” “absolutely.” Some say “goodness” and “mercy” are like two sheepdogs that guard the back of the flock. As the Shepherd leads us through life, every circumstance is under His scrutiny. Health issues? Heartaches? Stressful days at the job or at home with children? Worries? Sorrows? God is with us all the days of our lives. He may come in the quiet joy of nature’s gifts. A kind word or deed. A recalling of past mercies. Beautiful music. That private, overwhelming realization that He will never leave me or forsake me, no matter how bad things seem right now.

He is trustworthy.  He will see us through to His house.  Forever.

Goats and God's "go-getters"

This one came close to the fence, probably hoping for a snack.

Just a block from my home, goats munch in the fenced pasture of an “urban farm.” On a walk the other day, as I paused at the fence to watch them interact, I thought of their use in an end-times prophecy. With tomorrow (December 21) the ancient Mayan supposed calculation of the “end of the world,” it’s appropriate to see just what the Bible has to say.

First, a little background about Bible-time goats. We’re probably more familiar with biblical sheep, such as Psalm 23’s “the Lord is my shepherd,” and John 10’s “I am the good shepherd.” At one time in ancient Israel, goats probably outnumbered sheep. They provided meat, milk, and milk byproducts, like butter and semn used for cooking. Goat hair was woven into fabric. Goatskins became bottles. Goats were even used for sacrifices (Lev. 4:23) and accepted as a “clean” animal. Some goat breeds were white and hornless, making them blend in with sheep in grazing lands. That challenged the shepherd when time came to separate them.

But in Matt. 25:31-46, a prophecy about Jesus’ second coming, He gives goats another role: of representing people bound for eternal punishment. In Matthew 24 Jesus tells of signs of the end: deceivers, wars, famines, earthquakes, persecution, the preaching of the Gospel throughout the world, desecration of the holy place, false Christs, signs in celestial bodies—and then the unmistakable seen-by-all return of Jesus. When? “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son” (Matt. 24:36). I’d say that includes the ancient Mayans.

Then Jesus taught some parables about being ready: the faithful and wise servant (24:43-51), the Ten Virgins with ready lamps (25:1-13), and the investment of “talents” or money (25:30). We’re not to fritter our time and resources away in selfish, empty pursuits, but actively invest the abilities and resources the Lord has entrusted to us.

Following these parables, sheep and goats come on the final stage. Theologians have had hearty interpretive conversations over this passage, but most agree these animals represent the peoples of God-fearing and God-scoffing nations. The Lord separates sheep (true followers of Christ) to His right, the place of honor, eventually to enter His glorious kingdom. That’s because their kind actions toward “the least of the brethren” were done as unto Him. The goats go to the left, then to eternal punishment, for in neglecting others' basic needs, they neglected Him.

Though you don’t find it quoted in Christmas cards or hear it in new holiday choruses, this is really a great passage for Christmas time. That’s when organizations that minister to the poor and disenfranchised do their greatest fund-raising push. Think: Salvation Army red kettle, for one. Or Christian and humanitarian organizations that advocate for the homeless, children and orphans, clean water, victims of sex trafficking, the persecuted, and others. And what do they do? Exactly what the “sheep” are commended for doing: “for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (25:35-36).

In his book The Practice of Godliness (NavPress, 1983, p. 241), Jerry Bridges remarks: "Jesus is teaching in that passage not that doing good deeds earns our admittance to heaven, but that they are necessary and vital evidences that we are bound for heaven."

If your holiday preparations so far have been about what friends and family expect or want, might this passage suggest a change in focus? It’s not too late for the "sheep" tasks done out of love for the Lord Jesus, through personal involvement and financial investment. And don’t worry about a December 21 "deadline." The world will end when God decides.
Consider this prayer by William Stoddard in his devotional First Light (Multnomah, 1990, p. 93). It’s a reflection on Psalm 90, but it’s just as apropos for thinking about end times: “I cannot count the days that remain, but I can make the days that remain count. Let them count under the light of eternity. Let them count as vessels to be filled with grace and emptied in love. Let them count with things that can never be counted or priced or bought or sold. Let them count in loving surrender, obedient service, and cheerful faith. Let them count for You!”