Restored, Quickened, Revived

Wandering away from the Good Shepherd in order to taste the "thrill" of a worldly companionship will never leave the sheep in a peaceful place. Instead, it will only betray the poor sheep and leave it with a broken heart. For in the wilderness, wolves and vipers abound. It will never be wise to drift from the comfort of the Shepherd's bosom in order to make close friends with the fraudsters. Wolves will always be wolves no matter how one tries to dress them to look like sheep. They are the deceivers of this world. 

The Good Shepherd is always the best home to run to, especially in time of  weakness. In Him alone there is life, peace, joy, solace, security, and true friendship. The Good Shepherd is the epitome of abiding love and faithfulness.

Psalms 23:3

“He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”

In several ways does the shepherd restore his sheep. 
If one wanders away, he goes out after it, and seeks
it until he finds it, restoring it to the shelter of the 
fold. If one faints and grows sick by the way, in the 
hard journey or the burning heat — the shepherd does 
not leave it to die, but takes it up in his arms, and 
carries it home, restoring it to the fold. If a sheep is 
hurt, torn by a wild beast or injured by accident — the 
shepherd tends its wounds until they are healed.

All this suggests how our Good Shepherd restores our 
souls. Sometimes we wander away. It is very easy to 
drift off from Christ. The drifting is often unconscious
 — we do not realize that we are losing our first love — 
and little by little, we are far off from Christ. Perhaps 
it is a cherished sin which eats out our heart-life. Or
perhaps it is a worldly companionship which draws us 
away, loosening the bonds which bound us to Christ. 
Sometimes it is an absorbing business which leaves 
no room for God. Or it may be the cares of this world 
which choke the Word and quench the Spirit. We often 
need to have our soul restored, quickened, revived — or 
we would never get safely home, through this evil world.

Then, when sorrow has left the heart broken, it is 
only the Good Shepherd who can restore it. He is 
a most skillful physician. We may put all sorrow's
wounds into His hand. He is most gentle, and His 
hand is infinitely skillful. He is a wonderful comforter. 
No human hand can heal a heart that is bruised — but 
the hand of Jesus has infinite delicacy and skill.

J.R. Miller, By The Still Waters 

Psalms 147:3

“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” 

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Freedom

The best kind of freedom is freedom from the deceitfulness of sin, of the heart, of the world, of false love from false friends. For while being engulfed in such, one has to be a fool. And a fool is a blind that walks in the dark and loves walking in darkness. 

Let the wicked laugh. Let them shout for the victory of their treacherous acts. Let them think they have won but they have won the approval of their original father's, the prince and father of lies.

Let me mourn. Let me mourn while I am set free. Let me mourn for the wickedness of their heart. Yet let me celebrate for my own victory, because now I can see, a fool no longer, and blind no more.

But let me be humble, let me forget, and forgive. For then, freedom shall be complete.

“Therefore while the wicked continue laughing — I will continue to mourn. Through the Valley of Bochim (weeping) — I shall pass to the Heavenly Zion. But the paths of carnal mirth— will bring me into a Hell of weeping; for he who swims in sin — shall sink in sorrow! His laughter shall be turned into heaviness; but my tears shall be wiped away! I will therefore ever weep — that I may not weep forever!” Thomas Sherman, Divine Breathings 

“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4