IN THE ARMS OF THE SHEPHERD

"Some years ago, it was my privilege to visit the country of Morocco as part of an official United States government delegation. As part of that visit, we were invited to travel some distance into the desert to visit some ruins. Five large black limousines moved across the beautiful Moroccan countryside at considerable speed. I was riding in the third limousine, which had lagged some distance behind the second. As we topped the brow of a hill, we noticed that the limousine in front of us had pulled off to the side of the road. As we drew nearer, I sensed that an accident had occurred and suggested to my driver that we stop. The scene before us has remained with me for these many years. 

An old shepherd, in the long, flowing robes of the Saviour's day, was standing near the limousine in conversation with the driver. Nearly, I noted a small flock of sheep numbering not more than fifteen or twenty. An accident had occurred. The king's vehicle had struck and injured one of the sheep belonging to the old shepherd. The driver of the vehicle was explaining to him the law of the land. Because the king's vehicle had injured one of the sheep belonging to the old shepherd, he was now entitled to one hundred times its value at maturity. However, under the same law, the injured sheep must be slain and the meat divided among the people. My interpreter hastily added, "But the old shepherd will not accept the money. They never do". Startled, I asked him why. And he added, "Because of the love he has for each of his sheep". It was then that I noticed the old shepherd reach down, lift the injured lamb in his arms, and place it in a large pouch on the front of his robe. He kept stroking its head, repeating the same word over and over again. When I asked the meaning of the word, I was informed, "Oh, he is calling it by name. All of his sheep have a name, for he is their shepherd, and the good shepherds know each one of their sheep by name."  

It was as my driver predicted. The money was refused, and the old shepherd with his small flock of sheep, with the injured one tucked safely in the pouch on his robe, disappeared into the beautiful deserts of Morocco. As we continued our journey toward the ruins, my interpreter shared with me more of the traditions and practices of the shepherds of that land. Each evening at sundown, for example, the shepherds bring their small flocks of sheep to a common enclosure where they are secured against the wolves that roam the deserts of Morocco. A single shepherd then is employed to guard the gate until morning. Then the shepherds come to the enclosure one by one, enter therein, and call forth their sheep - by name. The sheep will not hearken unto the voice of a stranger but will leave the enclosure only in the care of their true shepherd, confident and secure because the shepherd knows their names and they know his voice." (John R. Lasater, "Shepherds of Israel", Ensign, May 1988, p 74)


"....I know my sheep, and they are numbered" (3 Nephi 18:31)

As Judah was carried away into Babylonian captivity, the prophet Ezekiel was taken with them. As Jeremiah administered to the court at Jerusalem prior to the dispersion, Ezekiel was called to administer to the exiles. He was instructed by the Lord to lay the blame for Judah's dispersion at the door of its' leaders - the royal government, the priesthood and the teachers. These were shepherds entrusted with the sheep of the fold lacking any characteristics of a good shepherd (Ezekiel 34:2). Their energies were spent on enriching themselves and indulging their appetites, caring little for the sheep in their care. They were the total opposite of what the Saviour is like as a shepherd who guards His flock with tenderness and care. The Saviour lamented over dispersed house of Israel making obvious his love for those He calls His own: "The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them" (Ezekiel 34:4-6).

The Saviour reiterates throughout the scriptures that He is the good shepherd and we are His sheep. Most people in our modern society have never seen a shepherd so the metaphor of this relationship is somewhat lost. Jesus, however, knew about shepherds and the care and love and protection which they bestow on their sheep. I am sure as He encountered shepherds on the plains of Judea during his mortal life this metaphor was born in the caverns of His heart. He saw Himself as the shepherd who would heal the sick, bind those who are broken, gather those who are driven away and find those which are lost. His love would know no bounds, his mercy no restraint, his compassion no denial. He would be the protector of the vulnerable and the weak, he would be the master shepherd who would never forsake His sheep. From the depth of this commitment came the unfathomable sacrifice for His beloved sheep: "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." (John 10:11)

"Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out....and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered." (Ezekiel 34:11-12)

The greatest witness of the Saviour's commitment to shepherd his sheep is taking place today through the gathering of scattered Israel. The value that is placed on each soul is evident in the great work performed daily through the under-shepherds who are His true disciples, the members of His Church who are willing to seek out that which is lost. We have been commissioned to emulate the Master Shepherd in His great work 'to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man' (Moses 1:39). We are to be as committed and as tenacious and as caring as the Saviour as we undertake this important work for not one soul can be overlooked or lost: "The personal nature of the Lord's ministry as the Master Shepherd should be the pattern for all who shepherd the flocks of Israel. The depths of His love, His willingness to give freely of Himself, His undeviating loyalty and devotion to the cause shared so completely with His Father, and His constant attention to the needs of the one stand as hallmarks of the true shepherd's calling" (John R. Lasatar, 'Shepherds of Israel, Ensign, May 1988).

We need not be concerned about the rate of our success as the Lord's under-shepherds for He has promised that His sheep will hear His voice. From all corners of the earth, from every mountain and steep hill, from every rock and wherever they are scattered they will hear His call and they will follow.

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27)

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

My patriarchal blessing cites two significant blessings connected with my name. In the first instance it says my children will grow up to bless and honour my name and in the second it says that my name will always be known among the faithful.  These two blessings are of course predicated upon my faithfulness.  I desperately want both of them.  The first one because it means my faithfulness will have an influence on my children and in some way be instrumental in their salvation and the second because I do truly desire to be known as a faithful follower of Christ.  When I read The Book of Mormon and come across Mormon boldly proclaiming, "Behold I am Mormon and I am a disciple of Jesus Christ...", my heart yearns to say this of myself with the same confidence and boldness with which Mormon did.  So when my patriarchal blessing tells me that I will be known as one of the 'faithful' I know that there will be evidence enough to that fact otherwise I would not be numbered among them.  

Whilst attending our new ward recently, my daughter was introduced on a number of occasions with significant reference to her grandparents who are well known far and wide for their faithfulness and Church service. Her grandmother, who has passed away,  is highly regarded in the Church in Sydney by many saints who knew her. I have heard her name mentioned often in different wards I have attended since her death. It makes me so grateful that my children are associated with her good name. I believe this is the greatest legacy she has left to her grandchildren.  It is my desire that I will leave a good name to my children also.   Adversely, I would be devastated if my name was an embarrassment to them in any way.  So much is associated with the name we bear: our reputation, what kind of life we created, the caliber of the person we have been, our good works, people's perception of us, how loved we are, how much we have helped others and how well we have treated them.  The influence, whether bad or good, is far reaching.

As Church members we are largely known by two significant names: Mormons and Christians.  Some members of the Church resent being called Mormons because more often than not, this name overshadows the fact that we are Christians to the rest of the world.  However, the rest of the world doesn't know Mormon like we know him.  Mormon is my favourite prophet of the Book of Mormon. The obvious reason being is that he is a writer. The other reason is that in my opinion Mormon was one of the most Christ like people to have ever graced this earth. For that reason, being called Mormon to me is just about the same as being called a Christian.  

Mormon was faithful to the latter in one of the most evil societies that have ever existed. A people who were so wicked that the Holy Ghost was entirely withheld from them (Mormon 1:14); who 'willfully rebelled against their God' (Mormon 1:16); who, in their extremities 'cursed God and wished to die' (Mormon 2:14); who were consumed with revenge (Mormon 3:9-10); who forcibly deprived women of their virtue, killed them, and 'devoured their flesh like unto wild beasts' (Moroni 9:10).  After much unsuccessful effort to turn the society of such evil doers around to repent and trust in God you would think Mormon would be justified in wishing God's justice to come upon them.  But this was not in Mormon's nature.  Mormon knew God and how merciful He is and therefore he never stopped hoping that his people will repent and once again become a righteous people.  Instead of smugly sitting on his housetop and recording their destruction, punctuated with frequent "I-told-you-so's", Mormon continued to urge the Nephites in their battles  and inspired them to consider their wives and their children and their homes. (Todd A Knowles, Gospel Doctrine Lesson 43, Mormon 1-6,9)  Not only did Mormon continue to love and serve the Nephites despite their lack of willingness to repent, he fought along side them knowing they were doomed and when the Nephites went down to complete destruction, he went down with them.

In writing The Book of Mormon, Mormon's one purpose was to bring us 'unto Christ'.  If you asked a classroom of people who wrote The Book of Mormon, everybody would hesitate to answer trying to figure it out.  This is so because when you read The Book of Mormon, you do not hear Mormon's voice, even though he occasionally offers editorial commentary.  The voice we hear when we read The Book of Mormon, is the voice of God.  Mormon makes himself transparent as the writer of this book and succeeds gloriously in helping us draw closer to God.  (Todd A. Knowles, Gospel Doctrine Lesson 43, Mormon 1-6,9)

Mormon lived by an eternal perspective that enabled his life long service among his fellowmen. : "...for we have a labour to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness...." (Moroni 9:6)  I often quote this scripture during my lessons as a means of inspiration to help us be focused on winning the battle that we began so long ago.  The more I know about Mormon, the more I want to be like him.  It makes me feel good to say that I am a Mormon, to be associated with his name.

In Mosiah 5:7-12, the word 'name' occurs 11 times.  These particular scriptures contain King Benjamin's address to his people who were willing to enter into a covenant with God 'to do his will and to be obedient to his commandments in all things....all the remainder of our days' (Mosiah 5:5).  What is interesting is that King Benjamin responds to their willingness to enter into this covenant by talking about the importance of taking upon ourselves Christ's name.  He specifically says that:

• our hearts are changed through faith on his name (verse 7)
• there is no other name given whereby salvation comes (verse 8)
• whosoever enters into this covenant shall be known and called by the name of Christ (verse 9)
• whosoever is not called by the name of Christ shall be found on the left hand of God (verse 10)
• His name will never be blotted out of our hearts except through transgression (verse 11)

By virtue of our covenant to be obedient to His commandments, we become Christ's, his sons and his daughters and thereby we take upon ourselves His name, much like we take upon ourselves our earthly father's name when we are born into mortality.  In this instance however, Christ becomes our spiritual father and we thereby become Christ-ians. What we do with Christ's name speaks volumes about our integrity and character. Being Christian means being like Christ and behaving as He would behave. It reminds me of that saying:  "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" 

King Benjamin closes his address admonishing his people to be steadfast and immovable and always abounding in good works for the greatest of  all blessings depends on this: "....that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life..." (Mosiah 5:15)  The Saviour will hold us responsible for His name when we face Him at the judgment bar.  As his children, it is our duty to bring honour and glory to his name through the life that we live.  For this He will exalt us so that we can have all that He has and be all that He is. Alma spoke of being spiritually born and thereby receiving His image in our countenance (Alma 5:14).  Let us live so that this image will be recognized by all we associate with and that we will be known by His name more readily than by our own.  Does He not deserve this? 

For "behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands...." (1 Nephi 21:16)