Sheep Listen

Do sheep listen?  I don’t know much about sheep, but nine months into dog ownership and I can tell you that they don’t always listen.  In fact, I’m convinced that my dog hears what I’m saying, comprehends what I want, but he still refuses to do what I say simply because he is unwilling.  I’m told that sheep don’t always listen either, but before I start in on a rant on white woolly animals, I should confess my own selective hearing issues.  Yes, I don’t listen at times too.

There are times when we don’t want to listen to that voice of our Savior.  Sometimes we heed the siren song right off the cliffs of temptation.  One of the problems with the lock down is that we have too much time.  Sure there is time to catch up on a home improvement project.  Maybe you have time to take lazy strolls with the family, but one of the challenges is that when you are bored, when you have too much time – you know what the voice of your Good Shepherd is calling you to do… or not to do… but you indulge in that sin.

Some of you took advantage of the dog therapy offered on Saturday from 11 to noon.  My dog goes and plays at a friend’s house once a week.  They have a simple above ground pool.  As the dogs play that vast majority of the yard is lush green grass.  Somehow my dog find the little low spot by the pool – he’ll go over, he’ll look around, he’ll take a lick, a sniff, and then he’ll drop, flop and roll.  Emmerson was horrified – she said, “Dad, I have a brown dog!”

It is horrifying when we roll in the mud spiritually speaking.  The guilt of the filth of our sin ruins so many things in this life.  Sometimes relationship, jobs, reputations can be ruined beyond repair.  But on this Good Shepherd Sunday, what do we do when we don’t want to listen?  Repent.  God your Good Shepherd because he loves us anyway.

Want to hear more, including how the Good Shepherd secured your eternity?  Watch this Sunday’s message taken from John 10:  When We Don’t Want to Listen.