Like sheep, most of our wounds come from living in the pasture. Thorns prick. Rocks cut. Heads butt. Mosquitoes bite. So our Shepherd regularly inspects His sheep searching for wounds. That is because He does not want today's wound to become tomorrow's infection. Hence, David writes, "We are his people, the sheep he tends." Others may guide us to God, but no one does the work of God for only God can heal. He "heals the brokenhearted" [Psalm 147:3].
So, your first step is to go to the right person - go to God. Your second step is to assume the right posture - bow before God. To be anointed with the oil that heals and protects, the sheep must stand still, lower its head and let the shepherd do his work. Peter writes, "Be humble under God's powerful hand so he will lift you up when the right time comes" [1Peter 5:6]. When we come to God we make requests, not demands. We state what we want, but we pray for what is right. Like Paul, if God gives us the prison in Rome instead of the mission in Spain, we accept it because we know God will always give what is right to His people [Luke 18:7]. Now, the sheep do not understand how the oil repels mosquitoes or heals wounds. In fact, all the sheep know is that something happens in the presence of their shepherd that does not happen anywhere else. And that is all we need to know as well. Hence David writes, "Lord, I give myself to you; my God, I trust you" [Psalm 25:1 - 2].
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