This week we have a word from my Uncle Malcolm.
Here we see that God reaches out to us in our fallen state.
Whatever state we are in when we come to Christ, He meets us there, as we are, and He lifts us up as we stumble on the way.
Whatever stage we are on in our journey, the Lord our Great and Good Shepherd is there to help us, so that our feet don not stumble and we do not fall, with no-one to help us up.
To Central Inters & Juniors
16/2/1941
I want to tell you first of an experience I had whilst working on a farm last summer.
On our first night the farmer took us shepherding, and when we had, at length, got all the sheep into the fold, he pointed out to us one particular sheep which he wanted us to catch.
As far as we could see, it was a perfectly normal sheep, no different to any of the other 100 odd with it.
When, however, he had caught it and began to strip it of some of its wool, we saw why he was so anxious about it – it was suffering from maggots very badly.
At some time, one tiny, insignificant fly had laid some eggs in that sheep’s wool and these had hatched out into 100’s of maggots which were living luxurious lives by living on that poor sheep’s flesh.
They had eaten a hole about the size of a halfpenny in his thick skin and could be seen crawling all over the red, raw flesh underneath.
Well, the farmer pulled out all the maggot-infested wool, poured disinfectant over the affected part and let him go.
He was similarly treated each day and when we finally left the farm, he was well on the road to recovery.
I’ve told you that story because it’s such a good example of something; can anyone suggest what?
‘Sin’ is the answer and especially those sins which others can’t see.
That sheep seemed so much like all the rest to us who were inexperienced, but the farmer could tell.
And many people look so good on the outside, but look so terribly filthy to God, who can see the inside.
Our Lord Jesus Christ had something to say about people like that who lived in His time – the Scribes and Pharisees.
In Matthew 23. 27 he says ‘Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, for you are like unto whited sepulchres…..’ beautiful on the outside, but filthy with decaying bodies on the inside.
Will you all turn to the story of David’s anointing in the 16th chapter of the 1st book of Samuel.
Note especially the second part of verse 7, ‘…for the Lord sees not as men see, but the Lord looks on the heart.’
Perhaps some of you have seen that Andrew’s Liver Salts advertisement which says ‘…Inner cleanliness comes first.’
That is so true isn’t it?
Consider fellow, what is your heart like?
Only two people can answer that question.
One is yourself.
The other is God.
Is your heart clean, or are you a whited sepulchre?
As we close now, shall we look into our own hearts and see if we are like that poor sheep, infested with sin and in need of the Good Shepherd’s tender and healing care?