“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, He walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. John 10:4-5,11
Fellow Believers, fellow sheep,
Still in Psalm 23, I am being blessed as I meditate on my Shepherd. This Psalm is so rich with promise and provision for us, His sheep, provoking awe and wonder. His leading is mentioned twice in Psalm 23 and John 10. This resonates in my spirit for I need leading and am so grateful He goes ahead of me. Stinky, needy, stubborn, raggedy, I am a sheep with nothing to recommend myself to the Shepherd.
Also, like a sheep I have no sense of direction and admit I am directionally challenged. Coming out of a rest stop to continue a road trip, I repeatedly head in the wrong direction. Wasting fuel and time while getting farther and farther from my destination. Sin in my life also keeps me from my Shepherds will. I have come to realize things in this life will not be easy and I must stop trying to make everything perfect in life while waiting for it to become easier!
Every Christian needs to embrace that the Christian life doesn't get easier; it gets better. TD
Because God leads, He is out in front through every trial, every valley or mountain we are required to climb. In I Chronicles 14, David is attacked by Philistines. He inquires of the LORD whether he should 'go up' against them. God's hand gives victory but again they raid the valley and again David inquires of God and God goes before David! I love this.
David inquired again of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the balsam trees. It shall be when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.” David did just as God had commanded him I Chronicles 14:14-16
Our God is Almighty and Holy, living in unapproachable light. If suddenly we were in the Presence of His glory we would be flat out on our faces unable to look or speak or stand. Could our physical body withstand His glory? His love comforts us in His word by revealing Himself as Shepherd. Knowable. Loving! Jesus once said 'only God is good' and in John 10, He calls Himself the good Shepherd (God-Shepherd). How amazing and wondrous, our Shepherd is God Himself! The thought of how truly awesome this is and yet I thought how casually we embrace life-altering truth such as this, carried me to New Testament scripture. I began moving OT truth (from Psalm 23) and happily fitting it into New Testament verses. Wow! I saw it expand the familiar, revealing deeper truths of our precious Savior-Shepherd's character. Read the following paraphrase and consider the greatness of our God-Shepherd:
'For the God-Shepherd so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in the God-Shepherd will not perish but have eternal life.' John 3:16
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love the God-Shepherd, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of the God-Shepherd... Romans 8:28-29
[Not in your own strength] for it is the God-Shepherd Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight. Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against the Shepherd] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves], Phil 2:13-14 amp
... we must not ask for easy things for each other. But rather pray that we shall be so gloriously energized by the mighty power of God, that we shall do all things that come to be done, without a single inward grumble, making them our pleasure because they are His good pleasure. There is no promise of ease for soldiers of the Cross. The New Testament makes it clear things are not going to be made easy. To be surprised and troubled when they are difficult is foolish and unreasonable... our trials are not worthy to be compared to what is coming.AC
Even though the Lord makes His sheep lie down, He does not force us to. Because we require direction, we need to follow the God-Shepherd closely and keep our eyes fixed on Him. He wants us close because He loves us relentlessly. He does not want our patronage, but our fellowship. Go to your Quiet with Him, to be with Him. (read the last four words once more) Do not have your Quiet just to check it off your 'to do' list, or to gain your Shepherd's acceptance and receive a gold star on God's cosmic chart. Let us seek our Shepherd King with praise, for He is God!
My Shepherd King I come. Daily I am hungry and thirsty and You alone are the Bread of Life and the Living Water. Thank You for leading me to pastures green and still waters; enable me to find rest in You. Thank You for walking slowly so I can keep up. You know I want to walk as close to You as possible. Your nearness is my good; for You know how desperately I need to have my soul restored daily. Thank You for Your Word that feeds and strengthens me and leads my spirit to the Throne where I find grace and mercy to help in time of need. I love you my God-Shepherd and pray this in Your holy Name. amen
My God-Shepherd calls me by name!
az
If you want to know how to receive Christ as Savior click on this link: http://www.campuscrusade.com/fourlawseng.htm
