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part two of a reflection on W. Phillip Keller's A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 ...
We looked at the juxtaposition of Keller's compassionate and biblical animal husbandry to modern industrial animal farming in the last post. This time, I'd like to point to another contrast Keller raises between his own model of tending sheep and other far more careless methods he came in contact with personally.
When I was about 13 and with my parents on the mission field in Holland, a youth-led service was organized for the American Air Force chapel service we attended Sunday evenings, which my father assisted and later chaplained. I volunteered to give the 'sermon,' which though it was from the heart, essentially ended up being a book review of W. Philip Keller's A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (Zondervan, org. published in '70).
But I could hardly have picked a better book to sermonize from, and was reminded of this fact when I read through the book again in recent months. Not only is the book based on one of the most meaningful and beloved passages in Scripture, but Keller's insight into the unique and nuanced dynamics of tending sheep as a longtime shepherd himself, unfamiliar to most of us today but certainly not lost on David, is unfathomably deep. I can't emphasize enough how much more meaning the psalm takes on through reading it alongside Keller's personal experience and faithful commentary.
Today being Palm Sunday, it's natural to think of the young donkey which Jesus rode in His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11). Though the manner of the donkey's requisition seems a bit unorthodox to modern sensibility, it's clear that Jesus knew which colt He wanted and why He needed him. Zechariah had prophesied after all, in Matthew's words:
"Say to Daughter Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'" (21:5)
thanks to Dean Ohlman of The Wonder of Creation for this poignant reminder of our calling to join God's creatures in worshiping our mutual Creator ...
I’m not sure how many churches today still incorporate in their worship the traditional “Doxology” sung to the tune of the “Old Hundredth.” It was so common in the past and familiar enough now that in almost any crowd gathered anywhere in the English-speaking world, if you started singing it, you’d likely be joined by the majority—much like the singing of “Amazing Grace.” I’ve always loved it:
In the past couple of weeks we've shared a few posts on God's endlessly diverse and fascinating avian creations, from George MacDonald's poem "The Sparrow" to Dean Ohlman's tribute to a "Wonderbird," and the stunning video of a "Murmuration" of starlings. Before moving on, here are a few more faith-informed nods to the "birds of the air" worth looking up:
"Soaring" is one of several poignant nature reflections at Fiachra's Hollow, with a special focus on wild birds that elegantly "ride the wind," such as storks and cranes, hawks and eagles, and even vultures. On a personal level, I also really appreciated the encouraging reference to Isaiah 40 and "soar(ing) on wings like eagles."
from Dean Ohlman of The Wonder of Creation ...
God alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. (Job 9:8-10, NIV)
The first time I remember seeing it, I could hardly believe my eyes—truly. It was on a visit to Yellowstone about 5 years after the great fires of 1988.
Thanks to Chuck Summers of Seeing Creation for this great reminder of the incredible "vastness and variety" of God's creation and creatures ...
In Psalm 104 the Psalmist declares “How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” (v. 24, NIV) Elsewhere in this psalm the biblical writer mentions a number of creatures. He refers to “wild donkeys,” “birds of the air,” “the cattle,” “the stork,” “wild goats,” “the coneys,” “the beasts of the forest,” “lions,” and “leviathan.” He also mentions other aspects of God’s Creation: the clouds, the wind, the mountains, springs, grass, trees, the moon, the sun, the forest, and the sea. Without a doubt, the Psalmist recognized all of Creation to be God’s wonderful handiwork and a manifestation of His wisdom. God’s Creation is seen as a reason for joyful praise.
A while back my mother pointed me to an admirable article written by Rev. Leonard Vander Zee for The Banner of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. The article is titled ... Also Many Animals, a reference to Jonah 4:11 in which God tells Jonah, who is anxious for Nineveh to be judged for its wickedness and to save his own psyche in the process, "Should I not have concern for the great city Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people ... and also many animals? (Today's New International Version).
The week before Christmas our chuch choir performed a beautiful Advent cantata which I had the privilege of participating in as a reader. I was struck by a few passages from Isaiah which were featured in the arrangement and how much application the book has, not only to us as followers of a Messiah who came as a humble baby in a manger, but also to God's creatures and the hope He has in store for them.
I'm grateful to creation care advocate and friend Anna Clark, who is currently involved in an anti-shark finning campaign in her state of Texas, for sharing this heartfelt post on behalf of a creature many of us might not think needs speaking up for ...
Growing up at the height of Jaws fever, I still get nervous every time I wade knee-deep into the ocean. I know my galeophobia is unfounded, but until this year, I had no idea how much so. True, shark attacks -- always media sensations -- result in about five fatalities annually. We humans, however, are biting back by killing 73-100 million sharks each year. In the span of a few decades, the ocean's top predators, including the great white, which has endured for 16 million years, have become our prey. At least one-third of shark species are now threatened with extinction.
April 16, 2012