Marching Forth!

An illustration many Christians are familiar with concerns a common way how shepherds dealt with wayward lambs or sheep.  The story goes a shepherd would carefully break the leg of the sheep, immobilise the limb, and carry the animal around.  By needing to rely upon the shepherd for everything, a strong bond was forged between the sheep and shepherd and the wandering issue was over.  A problem I have with this story (one I have likely perpetuated over the years) is there is no biblical evidence of this practice.  There is scant or any evidence outside the Bible this was ever a common way to correct sheep that wander.  I place this among the often parroted illustrations because we heard it from someone we respect and it made sense at the time.  The more I think about it, however, the less sense it makes. Let me preface this by saying, I have never cared for a flock of sheep or even one little lamb.  My only interactions with sheep was at a petting zoo....

Of all people, kings and queens might be among those most difficult to impress.  Their wealth, fame, power, possessions and land holdings are vast in comparison to their subjects.  They have the authority, ability and right to take anything they want for themselves, to demand even the lives of anyone who may be a threat to their rule and prosperity.  For this reason I find it remarkable how the queen of Sheba was amazed and overwhelmed by the wisdom and glory of king Solomon.  Reports of king Solomon had reached her ears and were intriguing enough to compel her to personally pay a visit to Jerusalem. After the queen of Sheba was granted a tour of king Solomon's courts, she was overwhelmed by everything she saw--the architecture, clothing and service of his servants, and the grandeur of his entrance to the house of the LORD.  2 Chronicles 9:5-6 says, " Then she said to the king: "It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your ...

Even in societies that have forsaken God, God is gracious and faithful to preserve a remnant for Himself.  The prophet Elijah lamented he was the "only one" who was zealous for the LORD's sake in Israel, but God had reserved 7,000 who had not bowed once to Baal ( 1 Kings 19:18 ).  After Jeroboam became king over the 10 northern tribes of Israel, he was instrumental in establishing the worship of idols throughout the kingdom.  He rejected God fearing priests and Levites from serving the LORD and sanctified priests of the lowest (character-wise) of his subjects. The priests and Levites took a stand against the king's abominable idolatry by leaving the lands given them as an inheritance and moving their families to the territory of Judah and the city of Jerusalem.  These men refused to bow the knee to the calf idols Jeroboam set up and remained faithful to the LORD.  The rise of king-sanctioned idolatry resulted in a revival of true worship in the hearts of those w...

The LORD gave me a good object lesson today with the lime tree at our house that has been beset by scale insects.  No matter what treatments or care I have provided, the saga always continues!  When I stand at the kitchen window I always am on the lookout for scale, and there are times I can see them easily.  What I have learned is whether I see them or not from the kitchen, if I walk up close and look patiently and hard, gently lifting branches and leaves by hand, I will most certainly find scale all over.  Even though the tree is diminutive and the leaves fairly sparse (likely a combination of highly alkaline soil, Neem spray and those troublesome pests!), once I start searching for scale to remove by hand it can be a time-consuming process. It struck me how finding scale under one branch or leaf leads to me finding more scale elsewhere.  This is an apt illustration how every person in the church of Jesus Christ has their problems and sin that easily latches o...