“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way;

     I find myself guilty too often of living out the song Frank Sinatra popularized. I did it my way. At moments, I am either too stubborn or too independent to admit that I need help. “I can do it myself” becomes a prelude to “Uh oh!” Who needs a shepherd anyway? As Isaiah claimed, we all are like sheep, prone to do our own thing and leave a mess for God to clean up. Scripture’s point is that we aren’t as self-reliant as we think.

     If you doubt what I’m saying then let me ask you a few questions. Are you in control of your mood all the time? Do you ever make a mistake or misjudge a person’s actions? Are you in good stead with everyone or are some of your relationships damaged by something you said? Have you fear of no one and nothing or does anxiety sometimes keep you up at night?

     If you said “Yes” to any of these questions then you are in greater need of the Shepherd than you realize. Frankly, I’ve never heard anyone tell me that they regretted doing things God’s way. On the other hand, I can point you to one wife who will never allow her husband to do his own thing, ever again!