Who is Our Shepherd?

Ok, shocking confession here — I’ve never been a huge fan of the 23rd Psalm. It’s not that I dislike it or resent being compared to a sheep. It’s just, well, you know the old saying about familiarity breeding contempt? It’s just so familiar, too familiar. But today is the fourth Sunday of Easter, usually called Good Shepherd Sunday because Psalm 23 and John 10 are two of the lectionary texts of the day, and both of them feature the metaphor of God or Jesus as shepherd.

This year I came across something that changed it up a bit for me. Since I’m writing about early Methodist women, I’ve been reading things written by those women. One of the most well known, at least in her day and in the generation following her was Mary Bosanquet Fletcher.  I’ve written about her on the blog before, but in case you don’t remember, she was one of the first Methodist women who exhorted and preached. Her letter to John Wesley with its careful exegesis of scripture and responses to common objections to women publicly speaking in worship prompted him to endorse her and certain other women as having received an extraordinary call from God.

As a single woman, she exercised a ministry of educating and caring for orphans and in preaching, living in community with other women like Sarah Crosby, Sarah Ryan, Sally Lawrence, and Mary Tooth. In her brief marriage to the Rev. John Fletcher, the priest at Madeley parish church, she was a full partner in the pastoral care and preaching/teaching ministry there.

Mary composed a set of reflections on different titles for Christ that she called Watchwords, loosely based on sermons preached by her late husband. However, since his notes and manuscripts were lost, they represent her own theological thought and study, and she used them in her own preaching. Since I just read her watchword on “Shepherd,” I thought I would share part of that with you. She writes:

Now we must observe, who this shepherd is. He is no other than the almighty God, whose wisdom can never err; his power can never be restrained; and his love can never fail! But his promise stands surer than the pillars of heaven! ‘Tis this all sufficient saviour who again and again tells us he is our shepherd. 

But what is implied in that office? It is the part of a shepherd to watch over his flock, and guard them from all enemies. The common enemies of sheep may be slain with a weapon; but our grand adversary, eternal condemnation, could be no way conquered, but by the death of the good shepherd. Therefore, says he, I am the good shepherd, I lay down my life for the sheep. 

But the shepherd leads them to pasture, covers them from the heat, and cleans them from all defilement. So the saviour is himself the shadow, which screens from the heat of justice; and his blood cleanses from all sin, and causes their robes to be completely white, who wash therein.

He suffered all manner of reproaches, grief and sorrows, and hath left us an example that we should tread in his steps. He hath passed through death before us, and taken away the sting; yea he hath risen again, the first fruit of them that slept, and he will present himself to every danger, so that, by keeping close behind him, no enemy can strike us, unless the weapon could enter through him, who is our impenetrable shield! On this account he says, Follow me for he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness.  ~ (Watchwords, in The Asbury Journal 61/2: 13-94 © 2006)

If you’re like me, you’re wondering when it will be safe and prudent to resume public life. You’re weary of restrictions, anxious about the health of your family, grieving losses and even deaths, and feeling restless in body and spirit. In a way, we aren’t much different from sheep. They aren’t always terribly bright. They are apt to wander aimlessly from grassy spot to grassy spot without noticing the rocks or holes or predators that pose a threat. They bleat pitifully for help but sometimes resist the aid and direction of the sheepdog and shepherd.  In Scotland I’ve watched border collies and their masters find straying lambs and round up ewes and move rams efficiently and effectively, in rain and wind and the occasional hot sun. The sheep baa and make a terrible racket, maybe because they are scared or angry, but they remain safe if they stay within sight of the shepherd and follow the lead of the dog.

In these uncertain and frankly irksome days, we may really want to break out and go somewhere, anywhere, to break the monotony of corona-time, but we’ll get better results if we are patient and if we stay put and let the Shepherd take the lead. Take heart in the familiarity of Psalm 23 and John 10. Picture yourself safe in the arms of Jesus, and take time to dwell in the trusting certainty of Mary’s words as you remember who our shepherd is —

Now we must observe, who this shepherd is. He is no other than the almighty God, whose wisdom can never err; his power can never be restrained; and his love can never fail! But his promise stands surer than the pillars of heaven! ‘Tis this all sufficient saviour who again and again tells us he is our shepherd.