Bernhard Plockhorst – 1825 -1907 (Public Domain)
Darkness crept in like a thief. Too late. Now they didn’t know how to get home. A staccato of fear pounded in their hearts as they huddled together. Exposed. To whatever and whoever may want to harm them.
Many years ago when we still had children at home, we raised sheep, and one night they didn’t return to our lighted yard before darkness fell. They never stayed out in the darkness, so I walked out to the front fence line of our pasture. There they were huddled together like one dark blot about halfway back in the pasture, desperately bleating, “Baaaaahhhh!”
“Here sheep! Here sheep! Here sheep!” I called. They calmed down and began to move in my direction. When I stopped calling, they stopped, so I kept calling until they found the lighted pathway back to home.
Isn’t that how life can go sometimes? We can be contentedly munching on the blessings. We don’t see the lengthening shadows of what lies ahead. And unexpectedly, losses of one kind or another blindside us and plunge us into darkness. We panic and flail because we can’t seem to find our way to the light. Fear abounds and we don’t feel safe anymore. We try to pull up the storehouse of God’s Promises we hold in our hearts, but we can’t focus. The darkness deprives us of discernment, despondency deadens us, and dread debilitates us. Which way is home?
The sheep cried, and we, too, can cry. Their protector heard them, and our Protector will always hear us. He hears the weakest cry and can see through the thickest darkness.
When the sheep heard my voice, they recognized me as one who cared. They couldn’t see me, but they trusted I would lead them to safety. Do we know Jesus’ voice? Do we realize how much He cares? So much that He even gave up His life for us? Do we trust Him to guide us home?
“My sheep listen to My voice;
I know them,
and they follow Me.”
John 10:27
“I am the Good Shepherd, and I know [without any doubt
those who are] My own and My own know Me
[and have a deep, personal relationship with Me]—”
John 10:14 AMP
The sheep got confused when they couldn’t hear my voice above their noise, so they sometimes had to be quiet. Likewise, when we’re crying out of the pain of darkness, we may sometimes have to be still and listen, to tune in our ears to our Master’s voice. Do you hear it now? Jesus stretches forth His scarred hands and pleads, “Come, come, come… Come, My sheep. Come unto Me, all you who are weary. I will give you rest. Come to Me, you who are in darkness. I will give you light. In Me is safety. I am your HOME.”
“Come to Me,
all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said,
“I am the light of the world. If you follow Me,
you won’t have to walk in darkness,
because you will have the light that leads to life.”
John 8:12
Do you feel the most at home at Jesus’ feet? When darkness overtakes you, do you cry out? The Good Shepherd hears your every bleat of pain. Can you hear Him calling you? Do you hear the love and longing in His voice? Follow His voice. He can lead you back to the light. He can lead you back home.
I kept asking God what I should write for this week’s post, and I kept feeling the nudge to repost this post from three years ago. I don’t know why, but I’ll leave that to Him. I pray He will wrap you in His Shepherd’s arms of love and tender care!
Thank You, Good Shepherd,
for Your tender love and care!
Please help us to hear Your voice
and lead us to Your light!
“Shepherd of My Soul”
Freed to Fly 
Good morning, Trudy …
This, right here –> ‘contentedly munching on the blessings’
It’s just way to easy to lean back on all the goodies, isn’t it. Your real life experience with sheep and shepherding have hit home this morning. You’ve painted a picture that is vivid and true.
Savior, like a shepherd lead us. Much, very much, we need Thy tender care.
Bless you, friend …
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Yes, Linda, it is way too easy to lean back on the goodies. The darkness can creep up on us, can’t it? We loved our experiences with the sheep. God taught me so much through them. Oh yes, we desperately need the tender care of the Shepherd! May our loving Shepherd lead us and may we keep our ears open for His voice!
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Trudy, what a remarkable and inspirational post this is! I’m so glad the Holy Spirit kept nudging you to re-post it for today. I love the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd – yes, He knows His flock intimately and will always lead us/call us to a safe haven with Him.
Blessings!
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Thank you, Martha. I’m so glad it inspired you! I love that He knows His flock so intimately. Not one of them will be left behind. Blessings to you, too! May our hearts be ever open to His leading us to our safe haven in Him!
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Yes, I needed to hear that my Shepherd is seeing me in the darkness. Always ministering to your readers, Trudy. Thank you so much.
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I’m so glad you were reminded that our Shepherd sees us in the darkness, Sita. I need that reminder, too. His tender care over us is so amazing, isn’t it? May we daily remember that He will always be greater than any darkness in our hearts and lives!
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Wow… GREAT POST, Trudy!! LOVE your sheep analogy and how we need to be quiet to hear! And TRUST!! I’m off to “be quiet” and “to listen” 😉 I hope you have a wonderful day today! ❤
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Thank you, Jennifer. My husband and I both miss those sheep. We loved raising them. Yes, we so need to be quiet and to listen for where our Shepherd leads, don’t we? I hope you have a wonderful day, too! May we listen for our Shepherd’s voice and follow Him, wherever He may lead us!
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Dear Trudy,
Oh, I am so thankful that you listened to the Spirit’s leading and reposted this. I had not read it before, but it fits in so well with what the Lord is speaking as He is having me read, “A Shepherd’s Look at Psalm 23.” And then to read your own memories of your days with sheep! This was just what I needed today, as I am listening to His voice calling me to follow, where I cannot see what lies ahead. But he knows and He will keep guiding me safely with His own voice and light. Thank you so much dear friend! Hugs & Love xoxo
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Oh Bettie, God used you to remind me of this post. After I read your last week’s post, I felt I needed to look it up. It calmed my heart to remember, and after that God kept nudging me to repost it. Isn’t it amazing how God works? God always knows just what we need. It’s especially hard to listen to His voice and follow when we cannot see what lies ahead, isn’t it? Yes, He knows and He surely will guide you safely with His own voice and light! Thank you, too! Hugs and love back to you! May we hearken to His leading and follow His voice and light always!
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Trudy,
Thanks for reposting this. And I identify with those lost sheep. What a great visual you experienced. I’ve been reading Psalm 23 on and off and it reminds me to trust what God says to me. Blessings. Love and hugs to you 🙂
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Psalm 23 is a beautiful Truth to remember, isn’t it? He will always find us and bring us home to His heart of love when we are lost. Blessings, love, and hugs to you, too, Dolly! May we more deeply trust what God says to us, even though other voices tug hard at us to condemn us!
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Thank you for posting this again Trudy! Such a beautiful image of how He cares for us. “The darkness deprives us of discernment, despondency deadens us, and dread debilitates us.” Wow so true! Thankful He hears our cries and leads us to His light. Blessings to you!!
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Oh, me too, Michelle! We can never be thankful enough that He hears our cries and leads us to His light, can we? We both know what the depth of darkness can do to us. May we daily remember that darkness is as light to Him and He will continue to heal us ever more deeply! Blessings to you, too!
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Trudy, I am so thankful you listened to our Shepherd and reposted this. It’s new to me and I love it! Such riches to chew over. In writing from your own experience of shepherding you add authenticity to this story. We can all relate to feeling lost and lonely, isolated and afraid, steeped in darkness, desperate for a light to guide us home and a loving voice to help us stay on track. You have blessed me tremendously with this post. Blessings, love and hugs! xo ❤
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My heart is overwhelmed with gratitude that God used this to bless you tremendously, Joy. Yes, we can feel “desperate for a light to guide us home and a loving voice to help us stay on track.” May we daily hearken to our Good Shepherd’s voice and follow Him home to His heart of love! Blessings, love, and hugs to you, too!
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Trudy, what a beautiful, poignant post. Yes, I’m like that sheep. I enjoy “my” blessings, or I’m trying not to be overwhelmed by life’s hard places. And, I need to cry out to my Savior. To trust that He is with me, guiding me. His tender care for His sheep is amazing. And how wonderful that we can know His voice and follow Him, when we listen. 🙂
Hugs and love to you, friend!
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Thank you, Jeanne, for your kind words. Hugs and love to you, too! Yes, His tender care for His sheep is amazing! I, too, need to trust He is with me, guiding me. Sometimes it’s hard when we feel like our cries aren’t heard, isn’t it? But it’s so awesome how patient He is and how His love for us never diminishes even when we stumble. May we daily listen for His voice above all other voices that disturb us and follow His leading!
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Such comfort in these words, Trudy. And I love that you have firsthand experience in taking care of sheep. That makes the metaphor all the more meaningful! Hugs, friend!
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I’m so glad you were comforted, Lois. Hugs to you, too! In this difficult journey of life, we so need the reminder that our Shepherd is watching over us, right? May we listen for His voice and follow Him wherever He may lead us, trusting He will never abandon us!
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Trudy, you had sheep? What experiences and stories you have! I’d love to spend an afternoon over tea and hear more! This story so parallels how God wants us to hear His voice so we always find our way out of any darkness we may find ourselves in. I, like the others, are glad you shared it again or else I would never have been blessed by it. Thank you for faithfully following the Holy Spirit’s promptings.
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Yes, we had sheep and it was such a memorable experience, Lynn. I still miss it. For a few years when our three youngest were yet at home, we lived on an acreage. We loved it, and it was good for our boys. Oh, that would be so great to spend an afternoon over tea. 🙂 May we listen for our Good Shepherd’s voice to lead us always!
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I’m so glad the great shepherd let this little lost sheep to this post. Blessed is he.
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I’m glad, too, BlackSheep. I hope it encouraged you. May we listen to the Great Shepherd’s voice and follow Him wherever He leads us!
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I wonder if I was led here to absorb your message, spread my message, or perhaps both.
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👍🏻:)
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Thank you, Trudy, for this post! I had begun a poem years ago based on a picture of the Good Shepherd (the one you used by Bernard Plockhorst, public domain) and after finishing it today, I searched for a copy of the picture to keep with it. In doing so, I found this post. There are many rich perspectives possible in this biblical metaphor, but your post is original, and “vivid and true” is accurate. Thank you so much for reposting your thoughts and the scriptures. It was indeed the Lord who prompted the reposting. It was for me today—I needed it—if for no one else.
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Thank you for sharing how God led you to this post at just the right time when you needed it, Tamara. This encourages my heart to always answer God’s nudging. It’s amazing how God works. May we listen for and trust our Good Shepherd’s voice even in the dark!
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