Obstinate Sheep!

I heard a pathetic bleat half way up the garden and knew what that meant – a sheep had got its head stuck in the fence between my garden and its field. I looked and, sure enough, there it was, firmly wedged in the strong wire fencing, obviously thinking that my rose hedge looked tastier than the lush grass in its own field.

I walked round into the field, and saw that it had probably been there for some time as there was quite a mess under its feet where it had kicked up the grass and mud, as it struggled to free itself.

Having done this job on a number of occasions before, I was ready for the sheep to struggle, but this time it seemed to take ages and a great deal of effort on my part to pull the animal backwards – it seemed determined to try to go forwards instead. (I wondered why my arms were so stiff and sore the next morning)! But eventually I won, and it charged off without even a backward glance – what ingratitude!

How often does our heavenly Father look down on His ‘sheep’ and shake His head in despair at the scrapes we get ourselves into, often through deliberate disobedience to His word. That ‘still, small voice’ of our conscience needs to be listened to, because if we constantly ignore it we gradually become deaf to it. What we are doing may seem fun or good, at the time, but then, if sin wasn’t fun, we wouldn’t do it, would we?

Prayer: Dear Father, thank You so much for Your patience with me. Please forgive me that I so often ignore that still, small voice, as You gently remind me what is not pleasing to You. I am sorry, please forgive me, and give me strength to resist temptation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.