Shepherding

British shepherds often take sheep and rams, one by one, and throw them into a dipping trough, a huge vat filled with an antiseptic liquid. The shepherd must completely submerge each animal, holding its ears, eyes, and nose under the surface. It is of course horribly frightening for the sheep. And if any of the sheep try to climb out of the trough too soon, the sheepdogs bark and snap and force them back in.

But as terrifying an experience as it is for the sheep, without the periodic treatment, they would become the victims of parasites and disease. It is for their good, even if it is beyond their understanding.

Do you ever feel like that? Do you ever feel like something is going on in your life and you don’t understand why God allows such a thing to happen?

Like the psalmist, we must trust that some things are beyond our understanding. “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.” Psalm 139:6

We too have a Good Shepherd who is committed to His sheep, though He often does things to us that frighten us and that we cannot, at the moment, understand. Trust is an integral part of faith. If you are suffering this week, I encourage you to trust in the goodness of the Shepherd