“Then sheep will graze as in their own pasture; lambs will feed among the ruins of the rich.” Isaiah 5:17 NIV

The second part of this verse caught my attention: “lambs will feed among the ruins of the rich.” This speaks to me of the spiritually rich who have gone before us.

I was one of several who had the privilege of knowing the founders of the Struthers group of churches which began in the fifties. As a young girl, I have happy memories of being under their ministry, and being hungry for the things of God, receiving mighty blessings as a result. 

These spiritually rich leaders have gone home to glory now.  The lambs remain behind to feed amongst the ruins of the rich.  We don’t only remember the memories or the blessings they left behind. If we did, our blessing would soon run dry. They trained many of us to find our way into the presence of God; we learned to hear and obey His voice, which brings me to the first part of the verse:

“Then sheep will graze as in their own pasture.”

We must learn to graze in our pasture if we are to find our way into the blessing of God.  Each child of God is unique and should recognise their particular qualities and purpose in the Kingdom. We each bring our flavour to the work of God.

The church must continue to grow in number and with vision.  As we can all see from looking around us, churches grow in various ways. It is not ours to judge because some are different from the ways God has led us.  However, I feel it is vital for our church to maintain something of the rich quality I received in my early years. I seek in my pasture to not only reach the unsaved and ungodly but to bring something of the beauty and glory of Christ to the church. I seek rich pastures where souls can feed on His loveliness.

I am never satisfied with a church service unless there comes the wonderful Christ-centred qualities of purity and light in worship that I love. It reminds me of what attracted me into the deep in the beginning.

Let our prayer be that when our days are done, we might leave behind amongst our ‘ruins’ the richness of the deep blessing of God for the lambs who follow after us until they learn as sheep to graze in their pasture.