Shepherd thoughts - Part Three

He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of rightousness for His name's sake.

One of the sweetest benefits of being a student of Christian Science is having those moments when divine Love restores my soul. Times when I feel the presence of my Father right here with me, the tender embrace of the Comforter, the deep peace of understanding I am truly His cherished child. At those times I understand our unbreakable relationship. I feel like the lamb the Shepherd holds close to his heart. The shepherd and the flock spend all day up on the mountain. There are hours when he sits among them, playing a flute. Always alert for any danger in the form of thieves or predators, he sits among them and they feel cared for.

As the sun goes down, it is time to head back to the village. He gathers them up and leads them back. The word 'righteousness' appears all through the Scriptures. For me it means right-thinking or Truth-knowing. The shepherd is a leader, an authority figure worthy of trust and respect. He leads and they willingly follow. Our Shepherd leads us along the path of right-thinking. When faced with a problem I often ask myself, just what am I thinking about this situation? Then, what is God thinking about this?That leads to a change of thought, a clearer 'knowing of the Truth' and it is this that leads to healing. Sheep are notorious creatures of habit. Left to themselves they would follow the same trails until they become ruts; graze the same hills until they turn to desert wastes. Poor management. Sheep need guidance and they need to move. How often we choose to stubbornly cling to something when being willing to move leads us to a better situation. Being willing to listen to Him and then to follow takes courage and humility. Those who decide to take those paths move onto fresh ground.

Mrs. Eddy wrote a poem we sing often as a hymn. It begins, "Shepherd show me how to go o'er the hillside steep...and continues "I will listen for Thy voice, lest my footsteps stray. I will follow and rejoice, all the rugged way."

Go along the path in peace.