Sheep with no Shepherd and a Harvest with no Harvesters

Matthew 9:35-38--And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

In the passage above are found two popular literary devices, the simile and the metaphor. The simile is found when the multitudes are described "as sheep having no shepherd." The metaphor is implied when Jesus equates soul winners and lost people to laborers and a harvest. In these simple comparisons are found simple truths, yet they are some of the most important truths we will ever run across in our lives.

First off, we need to see people the way Jesus does. He took notice of others' lives, a personal interest in those around Him. We too need to take interest in the lives of others instead of focusing on ourselves, not because we want to gossip about them or invade their privacy or criticize them, but because we care for them. Jesus paid attention to the needs of those around Him--most importantly their spiritual needs. He truly cared about everyone He met, whether He knew them or not. As Christians, we should view people like this too. We should take a personal interest in those around us because we--and God--love them, and we should try to help them. Most importantly, we should care about their ultimate spiritual need: forgiveness of their sins by God.

This is the most important application of the sheep-without-a-shepherd analogy. This comparison truly displays a pitiful state. Sheep without a shepherd are helpless. They have no defenses, they are weak, and they have no one to guide them or provide for them. They are completely open to attack. It's a perfect illustration for the lost. They are fully open to attack from the devil. They have no guide to take them to Heaven. They are weak and helpless. Even worse, they're walking straight into the wolf's den: Hell. We absolutely must see people the way Jesus did: Precious souls created in the image of God who will spend eternity in either Heaven or Hell. We must warn them of the impending danger. They are heading straight for Hell, and unless we introduce them to the Shepherd, they will be utterly lost.

This directly ties into the next point. Jesus goes on to describe the lost as a harvest, ripe and bountiful. Unfortunately, He also points out that laborers are few and far between. We know what happens to plants that become overripe. They rot, and eventually they are either wasted, mulched, or burned. This is what will happen to the lost, only much worse. They will spend their eternity burning in the torments of Hell. They can't save themselves; someone has to harvest them. We are called to be the laborers in the harvest. Unless we tell the lost about Jesus, they will not know how to be saved and will not be able to go to Heaven. We have been given the Gospel, and we have been given it to share with the world.

So, what position are you in? Do you view others the way God does? Are you laboring in the harvest? If not, don't put it off. Start today! Most importantly, are you even capable of being a harvester, or are you the one who needs to be harvested? Are you a shepherdless sheep? If so, know that there is no way you can get to Heaven on your own. Only by trusting Jesus as your Savior can you get there. Click the Salvation tab above for more information.

Thank you for reading. God bless you as you seek to set your heart on things above!

Ironic Imagery

Micah 7:13--Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

All choices, no matter how big or small, have consequences. They will shape your life and determine your future. In the Bible, this is often depicted as reaping what you sow, or spiritual fruit (Galatians 6:7). In the above verse, it is displayed as a metaphor; "the fruit of their doings" stands for the consequences of Israel's sinful actions.

But why use a metaphor? Metaphors can be very effective, and there are several reasons they are used. Many times, they make it easier to relate an idea or concept to an audience. Micah prophesied to the common people of Israel. They would have been very familiar with the concept of farming, producing, and harvesting fruit. This metaphor made it easier for them to understand what he was communicating. Metaphors also create images, which is part of the reason they are more easily understood; but besides that, metaphors add creativity and artistry to a message or piece. While this may seem unimportant, it can add value to the message and please the audience, making them more willing to listen. This second function ties into the third, as well. Metaphors help messages stick in the minds of audiences. What are the most memorable parts of sermons, lectures, or speeches? The figurative and creative expressions. By relating a message to something more understandable and creating an image in our heads, metaphors make concepts memorable. Making your audience understand your message, be interested in it, and remember it are crucial aspects when delivering important messages, such as God's Word.

So Micah seems to have made an excellent choice in relating the message God gave him; however, his audience, Israel, had not been making wise choices. The image Micah's metaphor creates gives the idea of natural production. The farmer chooses what to produce, but the outcome is natural. Israel's desolation was not just God's judgment, though that certainly was the bulk of it. Part of their destitution was the natural consequences of their sin.

So it is with our lives. Our sin has natural consequences that are harmful and destructive. God may not have to do anything to punish us because the fruit of our sins will do it for Him.

Also associated with Micah's metaphor is irony. Isn't it odd that a nation will be desolate because they produce fruit? That seems illogical, but such is the case. This is because the fruit Micah speaks of is spiritual fruit, which reaps spiritual and physical consequences. We must remember that not all spiritual fruit is good; it can be bad. The fruit of the Spirit is always good, but if we sow to the flesh, our fruits will be corrupt (Galatians 6:8). It all depends on what we sow. It all depends on our choices.

So what fruit are you reaping in your life? What seeds are you sowing? The choice of what you sow will determine how your life goes. Do you want to live a fulfilled life pleasing to God, or a desolate life? Ask God to show you what kind of fruit you are bearing, of the flesh or of the Spirit, and pray for His Spirit to help you make the right choices.

Lastly, there is one choice that is the most crucial of all, as it determines where you will spend eternity, not just how you will live your life. This is the choice to accept or reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Have you done this? If not, your life will be nothing but desolate; you cannot bear the fruit of the Spirit because you do not have the Spirit in you. Then you will spend eternity in Hell when you die. Don't go another day without accepting Jesus' sacrifice for you. Click the Salvation tab for more information.

Thank you for reading, and God bless you as you seek to grow in Him!

The Potter and the Clay

Isaiah 64:8--But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

The above verse gives a wonderful insight into how God views us. It contains a metaphor comparing humans to clay and God to a potter, and there are several key things about our relationship with God that we can learn from this simple analogy.

Firstly, God is our Creator. God is the One who gave us existence, who breathed life into us. Without Him, we would be nothing. We wouldn't even be alive. He is the reason anything exists at all. As such, He is worthy of all our praise, glory, honor, worship, adoration, love, etc. We should put our lives into His hands simply because of who He is: our Creator.

Secondly, God knows what He's doing. He is not some guy who picked up a handful of mud and started trying to form it into something. God is a master craftsman, a skilled potter--the best in fact. We can trust God with our lives and everything in them. He knows what's best, and He is the only One who can provide it for us. When we realize this, it should be easy for us to leave our lives in God's trustworthy, capable hands. Surrender all to Him.

Thirdly, God has a plan for us; He knows what He wants us to be. Nobody would start working on a piece of pottery without first having an idea of what they wanted it to be. It would end up a disaster. God has a will for your life, but the only way to achieve that is through complete surrender to Him. This starts with salvation, and if you are not saved, it is so easy. The One who created you also loves you, enough that He died for you, and all you have to do is ask God for forgiveness of your sins and believe in the sacrifice He made on the cross and His resurrection from the dead (Romans 10:9, 10). As stated above, God knows what's best for us, so whatever plan He has for your life is the absolute best--not what you or your parents or your friends or whoever has planned, but what God has planned.

Fourthly, God will keep working until we become what He wants us to be. Philippians 1:6 says "he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ". Some people begin work on a project and leave it half-finished. Not God. Once God starts something, He carries it through to completion. You can rely on Him to work on you until He takes you home to Heaven and you are complete and perfect. He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). You will never be left alone to figure things out on your own.

Fifthly, God has an interest in us and what we will be. He is intensely focused on us. He knows every detail about you and your life and, as mentioned above, has every part of your future mapped out. When I think of the potter and the clay, it is an intimate example to me. It is not like someone chipping away at stone with a chisel. I see the potter's careful, caring hands caressing the supple clay that is obedient to his will. This is exactly how our relationship with God should be. We should lovingly and humbly submit to His will, be like soft clay in His hands. God will not harm us. He loves us and cares for us more than anyone or anything else. (However, if you desire to be hardheaded, God knows how to use a hammer and chisel as well.)

Sixthly, in order to become the product, we'll probably have to be broken down and remade, and we will definitely have to go through the fire. As a potter makes a pot, or bowl, or whatever he's trying to make, he often has to mash it back down and start over again. This will happen in our lives. When we fall to sin, it ruins God's process, and He has to rework us into a usable piece again. It's not that God has made a mistake, but that we have messed ourselves up. And we will definitely have to go through the fire. Clay always goes through kindling, where it is hardened by fire, in order to become the final product. We will have to also. God has placed trials and tests in our lives to strengthen us. Don't get mad at God for putting them in your life; thank Him for them. If you go through them the right way, you will always come out stronger, more beautiful in God's eyes, and closer to what He wants you to be. And don't worry about the fire being too hot. God knows what we can handle: He will never turn the flames up so high that we crack.

So, are you ready to surrender to God, your Creator? Are you ready to become the beautiful piece of pottery God has designed you to be? Then put your life in His care. Be like clay: soft and tender in God's loving hands, obedient to His will. And remember, God knows what He's doing, so don't worry if spinning around on that pottery wheel makes you a little dizzy. Just enjoy the ride.