Scripture
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
~Psalms 23:2, REB
Quote
God is infinite is all His ways and this includes His will.
~Elisebeth Elliot
I don’t know if you’ve ever pondered the thought but God has a harder head than you do. No question the world is filled with Cains–those who insist on having their way to the point that they worship their self-will. The majority of the religious world worships the human will. We are not robots, you and I are free to rebel but that doesn’t mean our will is stronger than His. Our will is puny and pathetic compared to His will. I pray it continually and with fervor, “They kingdom come, Thy will be done.” It is going to happen. It is one prayer I know He will answer. God will get His way: His will will prevail. He always knows exactly what He is doing and why: the problem is–we don’t have a clue.
I was listening to Elisebeth Elliot’s podcast on the 23rd Psalm yesterday and she told an interesting story about John and Maudy, sheep ranchers in the mountains of Wales. Elisebeth stayed on the ranch with them for a week. She was there during the dipping season. Due to parasites and disease, the sheep have to be dipped annually. She watch John direct the herding from his horse. He used a whistle that only Max his sheep dog could hear. He and Max herded the sheep into the fold in almost no time. Max responded promptly to John’s instructions: it was an amazing sight. Later Elisebeth asks Maudy, does the dog understand what’s going on? She said, “No, he does not understand the grand scheme of things, he understands only one thing–obedience to John.” This simplifies the Christian life.
Then Elisebeth watched John and Max baptize the sheep in the dip. The dip had a black texture that didn’t look inviting and none of the sheep voluntarily dived into the vat and the dip. John would take a sheep at a time and grab them by the horns are head and throw them into the vat. Of course the sheep didn’t like the experience and they came up and were on the way out immediately but John had a wooden stick that he used to push them under head and all. They would come up for air and he would push them under again. He did this three or four times before he allowed them to run up the ramp and out of the vat. Like Max the dog, the sheep had no idea what the Shepherd was doing. The only thing they understood was that John their shepherd loved them.
We’ve all been in the vat: we don’t like it and we pray for God to get us out but instead of answering our prayer, He pushes us under until His purpose is accomplished. The shepherd does not yield to the will of the sheep. He acts in their best interest and does what needs to be done. What can I say, “Our God is an awesome God.”
We got just a tad of rain last night but my turnip greens are thankful. I never thought I would pull for the Yankees. For Cleveland to make it to the playoffs, Tampa Bay has to lose and the Yankee’s can’t beat them and of course neither can Cleveland. No one can beat them lately. It doesn’t look good for Indian fans. I’m not going to grieve, it is just a game.
Lilly has to go back to St. Jude’s for some test: Pray for Lilly and family. She has enjoyed her time at home and dreads going back for the test. Pray for Lilly and family.