I REMEMBER seeing a flock of sheep many years ago, grazing on a luxuriant pasture in the North of England. They were all moving in one direction as they kept on nibbling the rich verdure which grew in profusion all around.
I was struck by the movements of one of their number feeding all alone in a remote corner of the field. It seemed to be enjoying itself, and I went to where the solitary creature was, but to my surprise it was firmly ensnared by a rope of grass which it had twisted itself. It would have remained a prisoner had I not set it at liberty. It was really in a sorry plight, although unconscious of it.
It was a wry-necked sheep, — its neck being twisted round in such a way that one of its eyes was always looking on the ground. I was told by a shepherd that sheep of this sort always spotted the nice tufts of herbage as they moved along, and stopped, and nibbled them up.
Well it would appear that this particular sheep, had come across some fine tit-bit, which it had so enjoyed, that it kept on turning round and round without lifting one of its hind feet, which consequently had got entangled in the long grass. It was so completely ensnared that it would never have extricated itself. I took my knife and cut away the grass, which was tightly twisted around its foot, and it ran away and found itself in the company of the flock.
While I was thinking over the incident in connection with the flock of Christ I felt how often Christians think of nothing so much as their own particular good and pleasure and ultimately become ensnared by the very thing that pleases them. It is safe to keep in the company of the sheep of God’s pasture, and not to think we can understand and enjoy His things all alone, while keeping aloof from His people, for by so doing we may fall into the snare of the devil.
Like the ensnared sheep we may be enjoying ourselves alone but at the same time get entangled by that on which we are feeding. Had the sheep moved in line with the flock, it would have been fed with the rest, and enjoyed their company, and not been ensnared.
We may well feel anxious for those who get out of touch with the Lord’s people, and neglect the meetings when able to get there; and we urge upon such the necessity of getting together, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and So much the more as we see the day approaching.” (Heb. 10:2525Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25)).
The Lord’s desire for His own during His absence is that we should keep a united front toward the enemy, who is ever on the alert to entangle anyone who loiters or lags behind. Let us be like David’s men of old, “Able to keep rank.”
But let us not forget how the Lord in His care for His own goes after the ones who stray, as we read in Luke 24 concerning the two who left the company of His disciples, and were going to Emmaus. He went after them, introduced Himself to them, and unfolded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Afterwards He Was made known to them in the breaking of bread. Their hearts were drawn after Himself, and they retraced their footsteps and again found themselves amongst His people. While they were assembled together, He appeared in their midst, and said unto them, “Peace be unto you.” Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.
If our hearts are true to the Lord we shall keep rank with our fellow-disciples and not be ensnared.
W. DUNS.