The Sheep

Last week I was in Ireland.  Yes.  Ireland.  I flew to Ireland and went from Dublin to Galway to Killarny to Mullingar.  It was an awesome trip and all around the way, especially around the Dingle Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry, we saw lots of sheep.  Sheep all over the place!

In this video, you can learn more about sheep.  Two things stood out to me, sheep flock together.  And #2- almost everything sheep produce is useful!  They produce milk, wool, meat, and even manure!  I couldn't help but wonder how that applies to human beings as we are often referred to as sheep in the Bible.  I think we DO flock together and we are often more protected when we seek help from someone else and choose to not be isolated.  And that we are literally full of infinite potential, just like sheep, we are full of energy and the things we produce are not trash.  They are powerful and necessary in the world and we must learn to value ourselves and others in this way.  If God created the sheep to be such a productive animal, how much better would he produce us, his children?

So while in Ireland I saw lots of sheep.  I didn't think much of it until I got home and this Sunday at church the lesson was on the birth of Jesus.
 

In Luke 2 we read:

 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

And we talked about the shepherds and how they were believers.  They believed it all and they were the very first missionaries, making it known abroad!  They were brave.  They didn't dwell on fear or doubts.  They believed!  And as we believe we are protected and given the power to manifest our greatest desires.

We have been promised:

Ezekiel 34:12

As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

I think my trip to Ireland was a reminder to me that God is with me.  He is with you too!  He gathers us and our job is simply to believe.  Be a believer.  Believe that there is something greater than you.  Believe that it is on your side.  Believe that you can have the things you desire.  Believe that you are powerful because you are a son or daughter of God.  Believe that Jesus Christ came to this Earth and He will return again.