Click here to return to Blog Post Intro
A Little History of Sheep & Shepherding
In American history, pasturelands were invaluable. Sheep and horses graze much more closely than cattle; and when a pasture is overgrazed, wind and water erosion can ruin the fields. In 1902, a historian of the Sheep Wars wrote that in the previous ten years, cowboys had killed 600,000 sheep, and he claimed, “five hundred man-killings have annually accompanied the sheep-killing.”
It was no different in Bible times. Consider 1 Chronicles 4:41, which says, “The men whose names are listed came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings and also the Meunites who were there and completely destroyed them, as is evident to this day. They they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks.”
Much of the stress of shepherding comes from maintaining adequate and rich pasturelands, for sheep will never be healthier than the meadows on which they graze.
Lying Down: A Picture of Provision
The strange thing about sheep is that because of their very makeup, it is almost impossible for them to be made to lie down when they’re troubled, insecure, or frightened. In fact, sheep need these four things:
- Freedom from Fear: Sheep are timid by nature and refuse to lie down because of fears.
- Freedom from Tension: Sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction with others of their kind.
- Freedom from Anxiety: If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down. Only when free of pests can they relax.
- Freedom from Hunger: Sheep will not lie down as long as they feel in need of finding food.
After a healthy sheep has stood on all fours through the early morning hours, filling herself with rich herbage, she lies down, regurgitates her breakfast, rechews it at leisure, and reswallows it with pleasure. This activity keeps a healthy sheep occupied for several days.
A great writer of yesteryear, William Evans, observed, “It is generally recognized as being a very difficult thing to get God’s people to lie down. They will do almost anything and everything else but that. They will run, walk, fight, sing, teach, preach, work, in a word do almost anything and everything except seek seasons of quiet and periods of retirement and secret communion with God and quiet soul nurture… We do not like pauses…[but] from the rush into the hush Jesus calls us.”
Max Lucado says, “Change your focus and relax. And while you’re at it, change your schedule and rest!”
Green Pastures: A Picture of Contentment
One of the outstanding marks of a Christian should be a serene sense of gentle contentment. As the old saying goes, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”
When David says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures,” he means that his sheep have already grazed to their fill. They are full, they are satisfied, their needs have been met, and they are resting in blessing.
Green pastures did not just happen by chance. Green pastures were the product of tremendous labor, time, and skill in land use.
If his sheep were to enjoy green pastures amid the brown, barren hills, the careful shepherd had a tremendous job to do. Green pastures are essential to success with sheep.
The Good Shepherd has supplied green pastures for those who care to move in onto them and there find peace and plenty. Shepherds think of themselves primarily as grass farmers, because a good pasture is the cornerstone of an effective sheep operation.
Additionally, when our Shepherd is near us, our minds can relax. Anxious thoughts retreat in the presence of the Lord and His Word and His promises. Contentment comes as we realize that He is all we need and He meets all our needs.
The word contentment comes from two Latin words: con and tenio. It means “to hold together,” which is the opposite of falling to pieces. Contentment is saying, “The world may be coming apart at the seams, but I’m holding together because of Jesus. Though sometimes confused and occasionally confounded, I have a basis for blessed contentment in His compassion and power.”
As Martha Cook wrote in a nearly-forgotten nineteenth-century hymn:
In some way or other, the Lord will provide;
It may not be my way,
It may not be thy way;
And yet, in His own way,
The Lord will provide.
As Max Lucado puts it, “In a world rocky with human failure, there is a land lush with divine mercy. Your Shepherd invites you there. He wants you to lie down. Nestle deeply until you are hidden, buried in the fall shoots of his love, and there you will find rest.”
Credits:
A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller
The Lord is My Shepherd by Robert J. Morgan
Traveling Light: The Promise of Psalm 23 by Max Lucado