Finding your way back to the flock

Published 12:00 am Saturday, August 3, 2013

I attended St. Peter Catholic School in Reserve many years ago and can remember that the classroom was always decorated with holy pictures. Each
picture was a reminder
of what the Word of God says.  
One was of a little boy crossing a bridge that was about to break, and an angel was looking over him for his protection. That one was easy, even for me, to understand.  
Another was of a shepherd with his staff in his hand, carrying a sheep on his shoulders. I just thought it was pretty but didn’t give much thought to what it represented. It wasn’t until 45 years later that I started reading the Bible and read the story of the lost sheep in Matthew, chapter 18.
It tells the story of a man who owned 100 sheep, and if one goes astray, he will leave the 99 to look for the one. That parable is an example of God’s love for each of us.
It was while discussing that parable with my daughter, Ronny, that she explained the picture of the shepherd carrying a sheep on his shoulder.
She shared that the lost sheep kept running away, so the shepherd decided to intentionally break its leg and carried it until the leg healed. Because of the love of the shepherd and his concern for the wounded sheep, a bond was formed, and that lost sheep never ran away again.
That is a perfect example of some of us who continually leave the safety of
Our Savior and choose the road to destruction. It’s not until we encounter trials, followed by disappointment, depression and total brokenness, that Our Father, the Main Shepherd, comes to our rescue, heals our wounds, and we return to His flock.
If you have any question or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 985-652-8477, or email hkeller@comcast.net.