Lee McDowell Christian
Ministries LMCM
Nacogdoches,
Texas Gal. 2:20 KJV
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life
Ministries International
Littleton, Colorado
(303) 972-0859 almi@abidinglife.com
He Leads Me
Through My Choosing
I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know
Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life
for the sheep. –John 10:14, 15
What are we like as
sheep? Sheep naturally
follow; they know the voice of the one who protects and provides. They can be
led, unlike most animals that must be driven. They do not have the
constitution for a fight; once on their backs, they just cry out. They have no apparent plan, and
they like to spread out. A good shepherd does not fight the nature of the sheep but uses it; he
understands the weaknesses of the sheep and fills the gap. Though the sheep may sleep when
the wolves are about, the shepherd will not. The sheep have no clue about the
cares and needs of tomorrow, but the shepherd does. The sheep have neither a
plan nor a method of realizing it, but the shepherd does. In every way that the sheep are
weak, the shepherd is strong.
How is all this of
practical value to us today? I
would like to apply it to decision-making, since most believers simply do not
recognize their weakness in that area or, consequently, their need for the
Shepherd as their strength. The Shepherd has been leading us in the natural events of life; that is
His job. He is only
asking us to be what we are by nature, and that includes how we do not know the
future, exactly what we should be doing tomorrow, or the exact place He is
leading us. If we did grasp all those things, we would not be walking by
faith and could not possibly be pleasing to Him, for “without faith it is
impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6). But what do we naturally do? The answer is different for
each person. I know what I naturally do: write, lecture, travel,
disciple, and walk. No one has to tell me to do these things, for I have
naturally grown into doing them since I became a believer. This is the sheep-life for me
today. For you it may be taking care of the kids, cleaning the house,
and uttering a few pleas to God in the scarce few quiet moments between the
demands of being a mother and wife. It may be that you commute, work, commute,
return to play taxi driver, put out a few fires in your relationships, and
before bed find a few moments of time for the Scriptures. The important thing is whether
or not you can believe that He has led you to that place. If you think you are responsible for the place you are in, then unbelief has an
inroad and you will be wasting time thinking of the “what if’s.” I
believe the times I was in school, a leatherworker, a construction worker,
unemployed, a manager, a janitor, a Christmas-tree harvester, an auto mechanic,
a teamster, a campus minister, a remodeler, a painter, or an international
speaker, I was always being led! I have a Shepherd who leads me through the natural, and I will not believe
anything else, for here is a secret! The sheep are led, they know not where, but
confined in the vast pasture they get to pick the grass that is most appealing
to them. He led me into marriage, yet I chose my wife. He led me to
school, but I picked which school. He led me to move to Tennessee, New Mexico,
Kansas, and Colorado through natural events, yet I chose to go to those places.
He was leading, I was picking,
and I always picked the perfect thing. Yes, He is leading through my choosing.
Today He has led me into an international ministry, and I get to pick where I
want to go. I cannot make a
mistake, because I am in the pasture to which He led me. Do you see that the decision is
always made in the context of the pasture within which He has placed you?
He is leading you in a
pasture; nothing in it can cause your undoing, so you are free to pick any of
the things that you see (obviously we are not talking about the sin that may
trespass through your pasture). This is a faith walk; if you are unbelieving, you dare
not enter into this discussion. A small God makes for big decisions on your
shoulders, while a big God makes for small decisions. Unbelief makes for
labored decisions, while a big God speeds things up.
Gospel writer John,
in quoting Jesus, lists three important truths in verse 14 of the 10th
chapter of the “The Gospel According to John”:
1. “I
am the good shepherd”
2. “I
know My own”
3.
“My own know Me”
With this, Jesus is
declaring the incredible relationship each of His brethren have with Him, and
Him with us. And with the sort of
intimacy Jesus describes, (and learning what it is to “be a sheep”), it is easy
to see how He leads us in our daily choices.
Michael points out accompanying
truths that compliment the relationship:
1. sheep naturally are followers2. sheep know the voice of the one who protects and provides (the good shepherd)
3. sheep also can be led (by the good shepherd)
4. sheep do not have the constitution to fight
5. sheep do not have any apparent plan, or how to realize it…and they like to
spread out…but the shepherd has a plan
6. sheep may sleep when wolves are nearby, but
the shepherd will not7. sheep have no clue about the cares and needs of tomorrow, but the shepherd
does
8. sheep, in every way, are weak…but the
shepherd is strong9. a good shepherd does not fight the nature of a sheep, but uses it
10. a good shepherd understands the weaknesses of the sheep and fills the gap
Michael follows with
a most definitive statement that every Christian has to decide whether they
believe it, or not: “the Shepherd has
been leading us in the events of life; that is His job.” Do you believe that? I do.
If Jesus isn’t leading us in the events of life, then His claim to be
our “Good Shepherd” in John 10:14 would be false. Good shepherds are always very involved in
leading the sheep in their care.
But, then, Michael’s
analogy of our Shepherd leading us to (green) pastures, and giving us a choice
of where we want to “eat” (“pick the grass that is most appealing to us”…isn’t
that good?!?) within that pasture is most freeing. I FIND GREAT COMFORT IN JESUS’ LEADING, AND ME
JUST PICKING…ALWAYS A PERFECT PICK IN JESUS’ EYES. I CANNOT MAKE A BAD PICK IN HIS PASTURE OF
CHOOSING!!!
Sad to say, I have
encountered many Christians who are unbelieving, and they are constantly
carrying around “big decisions on their shoulders.” Well, amen.
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
P. O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches, Tx 75963 936-559-5696
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