Prayer Concerns
• Jimmy Reams – death of Revonda. Jimmy’s health is also very fragile.
• Braden Yarbrough – Laurens Memorial, stomach issues, hopes to come home soon.
• Jim Davis – now home after stay at NHC with congestive heart failure.
• Mike & Susan Little – Mike taking cancer treatment, Susan has several health issues.
• Debbie Campbell – Rehab at Foothills Presbyterian in Easley after accident.
• Francis Feighner – cancer related to her lungs, beginning treatments soon.
• Keith Blore – recent procedure for small tumor, considering next steps.
• Wayland Sherman – diagnosed with prostate cancer. Started chemo, doing very well.
• Bryson Davis – recovering remarkable well four wheeler accident, doing well.
• Jim & Elaine Sumeral – homebound, ongoing health issues.
• Allyson Sherer- continues to do well overall, positive recent doctors’ visits.
• Carolyn Madden – cognitive/physical issues.
• Jane Ivey – recent surgery, hopeful to begin to feel better.
• Bill Ramey – continuing to take treatments.
• Joan Owings – NHC, continues to receive care/treatment.
Announcements
Worship Options: We will continue to post a worship service every Sunday on our website and via the FBC Laurens App. You may also listen to our service on WLBG at 11:05 each Sunday morning.
Worship Resumes in Person this Sunday, June 21: We will offer identical services at 9am & 11:30am each Sunday. Sunday School will remain virtual for the time being. Please read carefully the June issue of The Tie for guidance regarding worship.
Upcoming Youth Event: Moana Drive In Movie and Ice Cream on the Church Parking Lot, Tuesday, June 30th, 8pm. Please contact Haymes Harlan (harlanlaura@ymail.com) or George Lewis Compton (glcompton4@gmail.com) for more info.
FBC Golf Fellowship: Tuesday, June 30th at 5:30pm. Contact Tommy Cox to sign up at tommy@fbclaurens.org
Senior Adult Sunday School on the Radio: Join us at 3pm each Tuesday afternoon on WLBG. The 30 minute lessons will be offered by a FBC Sunday School teacher.
Children’s Ministry Drive By Ice Cream Fellowship: Church parking lot,June 24th, Verdin’s Too will be here with free ice cream from 6-8pm. Stop by and have a dish.
Reflecting Together
Read: Psalm 23:1
Would you rather be a lion or a sheep?
Lions are fierce and strong. They are mighty hunters and they must depend upon their own strength and cunning to survive.
Sheep, on the other hand, are weak and defenseless. But, they don’t have to fear for their safety. Sheep do not grow hungry because they have a shepherd. They belong to the one who will lay down his own life for their safety and survival. Sheep are completely dependent on the shepherd for provision, guidance, and protection.
In ancient days, the term shepherd was often used as a metaphor to describe the authority and care exercised by a deity or a king. The metaphor of a shepherd is a royal one containing connotations of strong leadership but tender care. In describing the Lord as a shepherd, David wrote out of his own experience because he had spent his early years caring for sheep. He calls God “my Shepherd” and, as a result, confidently confesses “I have what I need.” Because God had covered all of David’s needs, David recognized that he lacked nothing.
The New Testament calls Jesus the good shepherd (John 10:11), the great shepherd (Hebrews 13:20), and the chief shepherd (1 Peter 5:4). As the Lord is the good shepherd, so we are His sheep-not frightened, passive animals, but obedient followers who are wise enough to follow the one who will lead us in the right places and in the right ways. Psalm 23 does not focus on the animal-like qualities of sheep, but on the discipleship qualities of those who follow.
Psalm 34:10 declares, “the lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” In other words, even the strongest most ambitious people may not always have all they need, but those who trust God to provide for them will have all their needs met and more.
Some Christians have trusted God to save them from eternity, but they don’t have much confidence that He can provide for them in history. David’s beautiful, poetic testimony in Psalm 23 can help instill in us the confidence that God can. Having declared the Lord to be his shepherd, David proceeds in the remainder of the psalm to explain how God met all his needs.
God himself is the greatest security we have. No enemy can succeed against us when we are under God’s care. We will never lose our way in life when God is the one guiding us. No crisis we face will ever be too big for God to overcome.
It’s all a matter of where we place our trust. So, would you rather be a lion or a sheep?
Consider this:
• Describe in your own words the relationship of shepherd to sheep. How does this analogy fit with your views of God interacting with God’s people?
• How does the analogy of the shepherd help you understand God’s loving care for you?
• Do you find it hard to trust God with your future? Why or why not?
• What or who has primarily ruled your life? On what do you spend the most time, money, and energy? In other words, what has consumed your thoughts and motivated your most important decisions?
Prayer
Father, the words “the Lord is my shepherd” are soothing to hear but can often be difficult to accept. Help us to recognize that we are not in charge of our lives, but, that You are. Grant us the wisdom to let you be the Shepherd of our lives. Thank you for your tender love and care for us. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.