Being Led By Our Shepherd
It always amazes me when God brings a word in due season. There is a sermon by Stephanie Ike titled ‘What if?’ where she talked about us being the sheep and the Lord being our shepherd.
The sermon was a great reminder that as Christians the way we live our lives has to be so different to the world. We are not in control but God is - and what safe Hands we are in knowing that He is leading us. He directs our paths and it is the best decision to follow that leading and direction.
Thinking about a farm and how things function there every day: a shepherd guides and protects his sheep to bring them back to the right place, he ensures their safety and removes any possible threat to the sheep. If he needs his sheep to go to a particular part of the farm, then he will guide them in that direction. All the while, ensuring that they get there safely and without harm. A good shepherd is concerned about his sheep and cares for them deeply.
Jesus spoke about God being our shepherd who will willingly leave the 99 to go and find the one. Now, that is love! The word that comes to mind is agape love (the fatherly love of God for us). Psalm 23 also talks about the Lord being our Shepherd.
Psalm 23:1 - The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Matthew 18:12, 13 and 14 - 12 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! 14 In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.
Sometimes you can hear the same scripture over and over again but one day it speaks to your heart in a completely different way. That’s what makes the word of God so exciting! There is always more to learn and more to discover about how amazing He is.
In life, it can often be tricky to let go and give up control but there is a beauty in giving God full control. Stepping out and doing things for His kingdom but knowing that if, somehow, you take a wrong turn or make a wrong move He will lovingly and gracefully guide you right back where He needs you to be. God is so good in that He has fashioned every detail of every day of our lives.
Psalm 139:16 - Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
The Lord knows the end from the beginning, His ways are not our ways and, in fact, His ways are so much greater than our ways. So if anything, it makes so much sense for us to depend on Him and follow where He leads.
Isaiah 55:8 & 9 - 8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.
The link for the sermon can be found below should you want to listen.
