I Know Whom I Have Believed...


Thursday, March 12, 2009

The True Pasture

The picture of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is one that many of us have cherished since we were children. My Grandmother had a picture of Jesus sitting in a pasture, surrounded by His sheep and holding a lamb in His lap. She told me that when she prayed for each member of her family, she would picture that person as the little lamb being cared for by the Shepherd. That picture now hangs on the wall in my bedroom with name plaques of each family member beside it.



The 23rd Psalm is a portion of scripture that many recognize and a child of God always finds comfort in those reassuring words. As the Good Shepherd, the Lord cares for and protects His sheep, directs them in the path they should go, and searches for the ones that wander away. The chorus to a song that was popular years ago said:


Here I am, here I am!


I'm the one the Shepherd left the fold and found.


There were ninety and nine, but He left the fold to find


One little lost lamb, and here I am!


Yes, the image of our loving Shepherd is one I have cherished in my heart for many, many years. But what about the pasture...


I am your true pastureland, the one who gave hope to your ancestors.


Jeremiah 50:7 CEV


Whoever found them devoured them; their enemies said, 'We are not guilty, for they sinned against the LORD, their true pasture,the LORD, the hope of their fathers.'


Jeremiah 50:7 NIV


The dictionary defines pasture as: "land with vegetation cover used for grazing of animals as part of a farm or ranch. Prior to the advent of mechanized farming, pasture was the primary source of food for grazing animals. Soil type, minimum annual temperature and rainfall are important factors in pasture management."


If Jesus is my pasture, then He is the one I depend on for the primary feeding of my soul...not a preacher, a book, a song, or a blog post. All those things are good supplements, but the Source is what sustains me. This Divine Pasture has fertile soil for maximum growth, a shelter from heat and from cold, and is fed by the River of Living Water! How great is that!


The Lord is my Shepherd and my Pasture...the true resting place for my mind, body, and soul...in Him I am complete and have everything I need.





4 thoughts:

Sharon Lynne said...

A wonderful encouraging post. Yes, the Lord is our Shepherd and he will not leave us wanting.

I have written a children's story about a little lamb who is waiting for the Shepherd to return. I've tried to get it published, but publishers are shying away from talking animals. What is the world coming to...that children can't read about talking animals?

Anyway, I loved this post!

Andrea said...

This post really touches my heart. Christ is such a tender, loving shepherd. We cannot begin to comprehend how much he loves and cares for us. Why can't we rest in that knowledge? He's all we need. God bless. (Beautiful pictures, by the way)

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your kind words. It meant alot to me.
God Bless you. Jeff Knight

NanaNor's said...

Love this-have always found so much in being a sheep with Him as my shepherd. We can be so dumb sometimes...but it is reassuring to know He watches over us and will search us out if we wander away.
Love to you.
Noreen

Post a Comment

I appreciate all who take the time to visit my blog and would love for you to share your thoughts.