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Jesus said, ‘I am the good shepherd…’. A shepherd takes absolute responsibility for the wellbeing of his sheep. He ensures that the sheep are well catered for.
David wrote, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd…’
For David to have written this piece, there must have been a cordial relationship between him and the Lord.
David was a shepherd, he understood the responsibilities of a shepherd as well as the attributes of a sheep. He could see life from the two different perspectives.
As a sheep, he enjoyed the tender-mercies of the Lord, and leveraged on His goodness to explore the blessings that emanated from his relationship with the Lord, the good Shepherd.
As a shepherd, he went after the bear and the lion, putting his life on the line in order to secure the lives of the sheep. Furthermore, he led the people of God with a tender heart of integrity and skilful hands (Psalm 78:72).
Some of the responsibilities of the good Shepherd to His sheep include (but are not limited to) the following:
He provides for their needs (Matt. 6:31-32).
He leads/guides them in the way (Psalm 25:4-5, 9).
He teaches/instructs them (Isaiah 48:17).
He protects/shields them (Psalm 3:3; 46:1-11; 91:1-16).
He gives His life for them (John 10:11).
It begins with GOD! In the beginning, GOD…! It’s all about His goodness.
A man can receive nothing except it has been given to him from heaven (John 3:27).
Except the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain that build it (Psalm 127:1).
Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100:3).
Is the Lord your Shepherd? Are you one of His sheep?
He said, ‘My sheep hear My voice…’ They have a hearing device that enables them to hear the voice of the Master.
He that has ear(s) to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says…
Furthermore, the Spirit of the Father dwells within the sheepfold and endears them to the Father. Through the life of the Spirit, they differentiate the voice of the Shepherd from that of a stranger (Romans 8:9, 16).
Do you acknowledge the Lord as the good Shepherd? Are you willing to follow and obey Him totally in 2018 and beyond?
As you begin to walk in this path, goodness and mercies will follow you.
All the things that the Gentiles run after will pursue and overtake you (Deut. 28:2; Matt. 6:32-33).
PASTOR NATHANIEL SADELA
RESIDENT PASTOR
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