May 14th

May 14th -- Psalm 23 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2023&version=NLT)

Go read, if you want to read it, because it's too short for me to summarize here.

This is one of many passages about how God is like our shepherd and we are like his sheep. I actually taught my Sunday School class on this topic this past Sunday. The main point I wanted to emphasize what a shepherd is, and if God is our shepherd, what that means for us (they're an SK class, so I have to keep lessons simple). Shepherds tend constantly for their sheep. Also, if one goes missing, straying off the right path, a shepherd will look until he finds it. He doesn't ever give up on us, thinking we're too far gone to be found - God knows no one is ever too far gone for Him to save them, so He never stops pursuing those who have strayed from His right path. God also keeps account, and knows each of us by name and cares for each of us. He would never not notice if one of us went missing. He knows who is there and who is missing. My mom gave me a story to use while teaching, to help get the point across. See, when I was a kid (this is years ago, before anyone thinks it still applies now) I used to keep between 50 and 100 stuffed animals in my bed at night. I knew them all by name and tucked them all into their proper places and said goodnight to them. I had a dust allergy, though, and after this was discovered, my mom wanted to clear some of the toys out in order to help with the dust. She said she came in while I was at kindergarten and took away one small toy, from a far back corner, where she thought I wouldn't notice. Apparently that night, when she went to put me to bed, within a minute I looked right at her and asked where the toy was, using it's name and pointing to exactly where it should be. It seemed small and insignificant among the many, but I knew it was gone. God's like that with us. We may see ourselves as just 1 of 7 billion, but God sees us as 1 of His 7 billion. No matter how insignificant the world's standards may see us as, we are all important to God. There is not one of us who can stray without His knowing, nor one who He would ever stop searching for to bring back to Him. He is our shepherd, and that means He will never stop caring for us, His metaphorical sheep.

God bless! Shalom!