15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; 19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar. Psalm 51:15-19
Every day at twilight, a good shepherd will count his sheep. If one is missing, he will go out to find it before night falls. The shepherd will notice if the same sheep is gone night after night, for that little lamb is developing a very bad habit. After this happens several times, the shepherd will go looking for the sheep as usual, but this time he does something unusual.
He will pick up the tiny wandering sheep, firmly holding it with one arm while at the same time positioning his solid staff against one of the sheep’s legs. Then with a swift and strong motion, he will snap the little lamb’s leg with the staff.
Why would a caring shepherd break the leg of a harmless sheep? How could a committed shepherd do such a cruel thing? Author and speaker Haddon Robinson provides the answer: “Back in the fold the shepherd makes a splint for the shattered leg and, during the days that follow, he carries that crippled sheep close to his heart. As the leg begins to mend, the shepherd sets the sheep down by his side. To the crippled animal, the smallest stream looms like a giant river, the tiniest knoll rises like a mountain. The sheep depends completely on the shepherd to carry it across the terrain. After the leg has healed, the sheep has learned a lesson: It must stay close to the shepherd’s side.
"To break the leg of a poor, defenseless sheep seems almost vicious—unless you understand the shepherd’s heart. Then you realize that what seems to be cruelty is really kindness. The shepherd knows that the sheep must remain close to him if it is to be protected from danger. So he breaks the leg—not to hurt it—but to restore it.”
Sometimes God breaks our hearts. It may be the loss of a child, a business, a marriage, a ministry, or our health. Through our losses, he can use us for greater purposes and bring himself greater glory. —Steve Farrar stevefarrar.com
2 comments:
I never really thought of being broken in that way. It makes sense. It does bring us closer to the Father. Gives a good visual. I always thought it was just meant to keep us on the journey. Keep us close to Him. I knew He always has a reason. It always hurts. But when used this way it just seems so much more....real....
i have found that its not a popular topic or notion but completely necessary for the Christian walk... thanks for the solid reminder
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