Straying
Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:76
“I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.”
The last verse in the longest Psalm which extols the virtues of God’s word is a confession and a prayer. The Psalmist acknowledges, even after repeatedly saying how much he loves the law of God and intends to keep it, that he was “prone to wander.”
The metaphor of Shepherd and sheep is beautiful and pops up throughout biblical history, culminating in the revelation of Jesus Christ as the Great Shepherd of the sheep. But one thing about sheep is they tend to stray.
The encouraging thing here in this honest confession is that the Psalmist says he is a servant and a sheep. His true desire is the keep the commandments. That desire is a true sign of the genuineness of his relationship with the Lord. And yet he strays. But straying is not an indication that he is a goat and not a sheep.
How do we know the difference between sheep and goats then? I think one way to know is to ask the question if we have a desire for the Shepherd to seek and find us. Do we realize we have strayed? Do we long to be back in the fold? Or, are we content in the wilderness and prefer to be left in the dark desert of this world?
Sheep desire to be sought, found, and carried back to the fold where they can happily say, “The Lord is my Shepherd.
