I had a procedure done recently – a cyst was removed from the back of my head.  The doctor sewed it up and it seemed to be healing fairly well.  But a week later I felt around the wound and found that I had a hole in my scalp about the diameter of a pencil.   

That’s when I told my wife, “I need this like a hole in the head.”   For those of you who were born in this century, that is an idiom – an expression describing something that is useless and unwanted – like that hole.   

Oddly enough, there are times that I feel like I am an idiom (which is not to be confused with idiot.)  I worry about how useful I am. 

Like many of you, I have had a job since I was in my mid-teens.  I enjoy work.  I like to look back on what I have accomplished at the end of the day.   I especially enjoyed my ministry years as a pastor.  People were saved, marriages were mended, the church grew and I was sure that God was happy about it. 

I was never the type to define myself by what I did, but I confess that I tended to justify my existence based on how useful I was.   Especially with God.  I was once such a sinner, that I sorta feel like God takes care of me as long as I am useful to Him. 

When things become useless to us, we take them to a thrift store.  Some of us do that with people.  When they no longer serve our purposes, we drop em like a dirty sock.

I am semi-retired now and I find myself feeling like a mess because I am doing less.  So, does this matter to God?  Is His care for me diminished because my body is decrepit?  Does He overlook me because I can only do 10% of the work, I once did for Him? 

Is God less concerned about me because I am less useful to Him?

Not according to Psalm 23.  I was grazing on it one evening when it occurred to me that I am a sheep.  So, I did some research on how sheep were used in the Biblical era. 

Their primary value to the ancient Hebrews was in their fleece.  They produced some milk but not much of it, and they eventually might become lamb chops, but for the most part, it was the wool they produced that gave them value.

But here’s the thing, the sheep were sheared in the early spring – just that one time a year.

It took a whole year’s worth of shepherding to obtain an average of 7 lbs. of wool per sheep.  The bleating beast proved useful only on that one day of shearing.  And yet, the faithful shepherd provided comprehensive oversight and care for his flock 365 days a year.

So, as I age and become less useful, the 23rd Psalm becomes more precious to me.  David wrote…

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”  – KJV

Regardless of the level of service we might offer, our shepherd feeds us, waters us and provides rest and healing for us.  He leads and protects us, honors us and plans a wonderful future for us. 

Why does He do this? Because that’s just who He is! 

A PRAYER: Thank you Shepherd for removing the pressure of performance

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.