Safe in His Armsنموونە

Who Told You That?

Who we listen to and believe will determine whether we lay down in trust or stand in fear.

Have you ever wondered why a good Shepherd would need to make his sheep lie down in green pastures? Wouldn’t green pastures and quiet waters be a sheep’s best life?

Phillip Keller, a writer and shepherd in East Africa, explains that sheep will not lie down if they are afraid, threatened, or hungry. In other words, if a sheep senses freedom from fear, aggravations, and hunger, only then will they lie down and rest. 

I guess people are more like sheep than I realize! I know for me it has been hard to rest in my own green pastures when everything around me shouts: “FEAR, DANGER, TAKE COVER!” 

How hard has it been for you to rest in your own personal green pastures? During the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus was called an "invisible enemy". It is true for every follower of Jesus; we have an invisible enemy, and it is not COVID-19. The believer’s enemy is Satan. Satan tempted Eve to not trust God and to believe that God would withhold what is good from her. Eve’s biggest mistake was not that she listened to Satan, but that she believed him. Our enemy’s lies create in us the same belief; God cannot be trusted, and He will not accomplish or provide what is best for His children. 

My granddaughter sold sweatshirts that said, “Fear is a liar,” to support her mission trip with Compassion Ministries. Fear is a liar when it causes us to doubt God’s protection and provision for our needs and wants. Fear is a liar when things go haywire and we believe God has abandoned us right when we need Him most. 

Jesus said He is a good Shepherd who lays down His life so that His sheep can have life abundantly. (John 10:10,15) Jesus is the source of our life. We find our meaning and purpose in Him. If we do not believe Him, Jesus’ words and truth will not help you or me. There are a lot of voices shouting to get our attention and devotion. We have to be careful who we listen to, but more importantly who we are believing. 

If you are gripped with fear and at the brink of despair, I can confidently say the words you are believing are not your Shepherd’s. When Eve repeated Satan’s lies to God in the garden of Eden, God asked her, “Who told you that?” (Genesis 3:11). When we are consumed with fear and doubt, we should ask ourselves that same question. “Who told me that?” Our Shepherd’s voice will always bring peace, joy and rest. When we listen, believe, and trust His words, we can lay down in our green pastures no matter the chaos raging around us.