The Firm Hand

Sometimes the Lord leads us to know-not-where and it seems to be somewhere other than where we ought to be.  Divine leading does not always take us to the place, or to the life which we figure divine leading will take us.  And, of course, sometimes divine leading takes us where we need to be, but still not a place we knew we needed to be.  If all this sounds confusing and like a lot of double talk, consider the second verse of the 23rd Psalm which says, "He maketh me lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside still waters...."   

I am no expert on sheep.  Over the years of being here on the farm I have learned a few things about cows, but not sheep.  Some of my neigbors who raise livestock are into raising sheep, but the only four footed critters we have roaming around here in the pasture are eleven cows.  I suspect they have a few things in common.  Sometimes I need to get my cows to move to another area of the pasture for their own good, but they have minds make up to go in another direction.  Sheep may well be prone to such a wandering spirit as well.    

There are times I have to make them go, or lead them where they do not know they need to be.   Maybe what I am saying is that I have something in common with cows who might have something in common with sheep as we all have a wandering spirit that often needs to be overcome for our own good.  As the old gospel song says, "prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love..."  There is more me in that song than I want to admit.  Sometimes I need the Lord to make me go where He wants me to go and to lead me there even it is against what I think is best for me.  "He maketh me lie down in green pastures, He leadeth me beside still water."   And, I am grateful.