I recently came across a video of a young person helping a sheep out of a narrow ditch which had been dug to lay some pipe along the side of a road.

Thankfully the boy was able to free to sheep. But as soon as it did, the sheep took off along the side of the road, swerved right, took a massive leap, and landed right back into the same stretch of narrow ditch!

It was stuck. Again. It needed help. Again.

The video made me think of three things. 

First, God’s people are called sheep. Psalm 100:3 says: “we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”

Second, it made me think of John 10:11 where Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd who “lays down his life for the sheep.”

Third, it made me think about the many times I’ve sinned or made a mistake, asked God for forgiveness, and then made the same mistake and ended up in the very same ditch the next day!

Here’s some good news. If we are the sheep of God’s pasture, and if he is the kind of shepherd who would lay down his own life for us, do you think he easily gives up on us? Of course not! 

God is in the saving business. He’s in the forgiveness business. He’s in the transformation business. So I hardly think he’s gets tired of our weakness.

Pray. Repent. Re-commit to the Good Shepherd. Ask for his help.

It’s a new day. God is great. He loves his sheep—even when he has to pull them out of a ditch, yet again.

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Notes:

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.