The Shepherd Speaks . . . Do You Hear Him?

As a boy growing up in the 1950s, I always knew that the world we lived in was larger and more frightening than it should be, and it was too much for a little boy to comprehend. I was a post-war baby living in South London, with the threat of a nuclear war in Europe at any time, with, at the same time, the world and the universe opening before me. I was an avid stamp collector throughout my young life, and this amazing hobby revealed to me, in a way that no teacher could, the vastness of the world and the countries that existed within it. Apart from the names of the nations and the names of their leaders, the stamps, through what was depicted on them, also taught me history, and the wonders that existed in the natural world.
At the same time as collecting stamps, I also collected an amazing set of cards from the tea makers, Brooke Bond Tea, which depicted on each one, the planets of our solar system. The book in which the cards were mounted, had a description of each planet, what they looked like and how far they were from the Earth and the Sun. (I would love to know where that book is now!)
Somehow, I knew something, but I didn’t know what that something was!
We all seemed so small and insignificant, and yet, we were very important to those around us, and we were loved by the ones who loved us.
What a contradiction!
Through my teen years, the only thing that was important to me, was me. (Not something to boast about.) However, in my early twenties, I started on a spiritual journey, which included all the things that The Shepherd warns us against. tarot cards, mediums, star signs and much, much more. I didn’t realise it at the time, but I believe now, that The Shepherd was awakening something spiritual in me and I was just going about it in the wrong way.
I couldn’t understand it, but somehow, I seemed to know that there was a huge God like Universe and presumably, a huge God like figure, holding everything together.
Today I know clearly. ‘God is BIG. He is really, really BIG.’
To begin my true spiritual story, my life with the Shepherd, that is Jesus of Nazareth, starts in 1976, when as a 29-year-old, my wife Jo and I, had a little baby girl, who we named Victoria, whom my mother, God bless her, insisted we should have christened.
After a fairly in-depth discussion with our local Anglican vicar, David Betts, we decided that we would do what my mum insisted we should do.
A short time after the christening, Jo and I felt that we should honour a promise we made to David Betts, and attend the local Anglican Church. This was the visible start of our journey together into faith.
At the end of a short course on following Jesus, David prayed and then asked us to write down on a sheet of paper, the first thing that came into our mind – for me this was the phrase ‘Teach Your Word’.
That sheet of paper is still in the first Bible that I ever owned.
I had no understanding at the time, that other than my mum’s pestering words (very unusual for her) this was the first time that the Shepherd spoke to me in a way that I recognised. Like the rest of that small seeking group in David’s front room, it seemed to be really scary, and for me it seemed utterly preposterous, but over the following weeks and months, I became more accustomed to hearing the voice of the Shepherd.
It is not surprising that the first people, other than Mary and Joseph, the parents of Jesus, who come into the presence of ‘The Lamb who would take away the sins of the world’, were earthly shepherds. The heavenly realm directed them where to go and what to do, which was, if you like, a picture of what was to come when the ‘True Shepherd’ would call all mankind unto Himself.
Look at the shepherd’s response.
8 “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.’
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” (Luke 2:8-20) (NIV)
They couldn’t help themselves. They were overjoyed and full of praise for what and who they had seen. I don’t know about you, but I would be more than happy with just one angel turning up to do this for me!
It is amazing to think that from His very beginnings as a man here on the earth, The Good Shepherd sent by His Heavenly Father, is greeted by earthly shepherds who know exactly how a shepherd should behave regarding his sheep.
I trust that this book will help answer the question, “Do you hear Him?” and I leave it in the safe hands of The Shepherd to do with it as He wills.