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SOURCE Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 To write to the author of this word write to: Selah
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THERE WERE TWO SHEPHERDS

In the night in that space just before sleep I saw this:

I saw two shepherds. To just look at them they appeared the same. Both wore the same clothes. They looked like the shepherds from my bible story book of my childhood. Both were pleasant and gentle appearing men with beards and a smile that was comforting. They stood still side by side looking at me..smiling..holding their staffs.

I looked behind me and a huge flock of sheep had gathered. The shepherd on my left said to the flock to go with him. He promised them the best food and shelter. He said that the sheep could feed when they pleased and the food would never run out. Almost immediately the flock began to follow him. Almost all anyway. Then a big semi-truck pulled up and they were loaded onto it. It looked like the cattle trucks.

As they were loading onto this truck the other shepherd just smiled and said. Follow me- I will love you and feed you truth. All the sheep stopped and looked at him. They sort of made a laughing sound and I heard one say, "love won't make my belly full." And they continued to get on that truck. All but one. One tiny lamb with a few black spots on it ran from the group to the other shepherd.

The other shepherd bent down and lifted the lamb into his arms. He cuddled it as if it were the most important thing in this world. He began to walk away with it. Now this really got my attention. There were MANY sheep getting on that truck for the nice lodging and free unlimited food. But one lamb so insignificant, other than its flawed coat was the one that interested me.

I began to follow both shepherds because I wanted to see the end to this story. By now I had realized that I was being told a story of sorts. The shepherds took the same road for a while...then they divided. The truck continued on the huge 4 lane highway till it reached a big ranch. As the sheep were unloaded from that truck they were pleased with the big ranch house and huge pastures they saw. As they ran to feed the shepherd began to choose some from the flock and told them to follow him because they were going to a special place. I followed to see this place. Then in horror I saw that all the sheep following the shepherd to the *special* place were actually being led to a shop of horrors. They were placed on a weird looking machine that rendered them helpless. Something knocked them in the head but did not kill them. They mindlessly then walked into a pen where their coats were cut off--then they were sent to another pen where wolves were...the wolves had red eyes and saliva dripped from their mouths...as the sheep entered the pen the wolves circled the sheep then ripped out their throats. The wolves were wasteful for they only ate certain parts of the sheep. Many, many bodies in all stages of decay littered the wolf pen. I turned away and cried.

I began to walk to the path where the other shepherd had gone. It was a wooded way and while the path was narrow it was not too difficult. At times the path was so small though that I thought perhaps I was wrong about where the shepherd had gone but then I would see a footprint or a tug at my heart would call me to continue on that path.

When I finally found the open space I saw a green meadow that went on forever. I could not tell where the green stopped and the blue of the sky began. There was a stream of the purest waters flowing. I saw the other shepherd and he stood watch over a small flock of sheep. I then saw the little one that had gone with him. Something had happened though...the black spots were no longer on his coat but his wool was the purest of whites.

Then behind the shepherd I saw a wolf...his eyes were red and filled with hate and lust. I wanted to cry out a warning but I could not. The shepherd had left his staff by a tree but still he turned to face the wolf. With only his bare hands and brave heart he stood between the sheep and the wolf. The battle lasted only a second and the wolf lay dead at the feet of this shepherd. He then turned to the sheep and began to count them. Satisfied that all were there and accounted for he washed himself in the water then sat beside the flock...watching and smiling. The sheep and lambs approached him at will and he stroked them and spoke to them. Yes, there was green grass...plenty...more than plenty but these sheep seemed to prefer to be at the side of their shepherd - being touched by him and fed on the truth of his words.

In the distance I heard that truck and the whining sound of metal on metal told me that the other shepherd was unloading yet another group of sheep to his ranch of death. Then a noise in the brush got my attention...and that of the shepherds. With a laugh that was like the sound of running water he went into the bushes and untangled a tiny, bleeding lamb with the ugliest coat I had ever seen. As the shepherd stroked the lamb a light surrounded it and I heard, "your faith has made you whole." The lamb - as the other one - now had the most beautiful of coats and the shepherd began to sing with that voice of many waters and I heard a chorus from the heavens accompany him. I was struck at how he delighted in that ugly little lamb...just one lamb. I was amazed at how he had risked himself for the flock. Then in my heart I heard, "this is the good shepherd"

John 10:11-12(amplified bible) "I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His (own) life for the sheep. But the hired servant (he who merely serves for wages) who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away. And the wolf chases and snatches them and scatters [the flock]."

John 10:14 "I am the Good Shepherd; and I know and recognize My own, and My own know and recognize Me."

A thought has occurred to me that as we do as Jesus asks us as He did Peter in John 21:15-17..to feed His sheep that He has indeed asked us to lay down our own lives for our brother. 1 John 3:16(amplified) "By this we come to know (progressively to recognize, to perceive, to understand) the [essential] love: that He laid down His [own] life for us; and we ought to lay [our] lives down for [those who are our] brothers[in Him] and John 15:13 "No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends.)" And when the wolf comes we are to place ourselves between the wolf and the lamb. I think God has been abundantly clear on what He expects of those that say they are His. He has given us the standard by which to live - Jesus Christ!

Micah 6:8b [NIV] tells us also how we are to walk. "...And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God."

One last thing...to define humility, "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." Philippians 2:8 [NKJV]

We try so hard to ignore the simple requests of our God. Some go to great lengths to build the beautiful ranches but when it is all said and done without the love and the "truth" we have provided nothing more than a slaughterhouse for the innocent. We are to be Christ-like. Many do not do good things giving up the excuse that they are saved by grace and not good works…Yes...this is true when it comes to your salvation…for truly without the Love and Grace of Jesus Christ we would all be lost. But why do you suppose He said this? "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10 [NKJV] LET'S FEED HIS SHEEP!!!

In the love of Jesus I offer you food,

Lacey/Paula Martin

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"...'Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know'..." Jeremiah 33:3