Where Is Your Shepherd?

I have a border collie pup and he is a handful.  One thing he likes to do is “herd” us through the house by nipping at our heels and barking.  Of course, this is very annoying and I have to “put my foot down” to keep him from doing what he is instinctively doing.  His goal is to make us go where He wants us to.  His purpose is ongoing and he never forgets his goal.  His method is nipping at our heels.  His result is us either going where he wants or getting mad at him.  Does all this sound familiar? It should.  If you are a Christ follower you know what it is to be herded.  Why does Jesus herd us?  His goal is to make us go where He wants us to.  His purpose is to send us in the “best” direction possible, toward the Father’s will.  He never forgets us and always tries to point us in the right direction.  His method is showing us to follow Him in God’s Word and then changing circumstances to get us aligned with His perfect will.  How we respond to all of this is vital.

Have you ever been out of God’s will?  I have and it is a miserable state!  My wife was reading book the other day and in that book the author said “If things are not going well in your life right now and things are falling in place then you probably are out of the will of God.  Wow!  That pretty well says it all and with no holding back.  I needed to hear that and my spirit responded in an affirmative way.  In Mark 6:30-36 we find the feeding of the five thousand by Jesus.  The part that speaks to me the most though is in verse 34 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.  To not be in the will of God is like those people who were seeking truth and direction.  We either continue in that state of mind or we seek direction from the shepherd.  Jesus is our shepherd and He is trying to point us in the right direction and we will find that direction is we will put down our guard and let him lead us where we are supposed to go.  His perfect direction is the place we want to be and nothing else will satisfy the longing in our hearts.  Jesus, only Jesus

Jesus saw the crowds who were seeking Him out and had great compassion on them and started teaching them many things the scripture states.  Jesus sees our hearts that are turned to Him for direction and is teaching us many things to those receptive hearts.  Our shepherd is ready to herd us to a better place and our willing hearts take that wisdom and try to get back in the center of God’s will.  When we are out of God’s will it is like being a sheep without a shepherd, but the great news is Jesus is the shepherd who continually speaks to His sheep and His sheep know His voice.  Those same sheep will not follow the voice of a stranger, so Satan take notes.  Your voice has not meaning for me or anyone who is a Christ follower.  Look at. what the Word of God says in John 10:1-10  “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  

In speaking in the above scripture to the lost, Jesus is saying to enter the gate and He is the gate.  To the saved person seeking God’s will Jesus is saying “you know my voice” so just listen and quit talking or taking bad advice.  Trust in God alone for your direction in life and don’t live as a sheep without a shepherd because we have an awesome shepherd who wants to show us the best way to live and the best place to live it. Ephesians 5:11-12 1-12 It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.  

In Christ…..In Christ……Our shepherd is very much involved in directing our path, so open up your heart and your ears and listen, listen, listen.  He’s calling his sheep as only the Great Shepherd can do and His ways are the best Psalm 18:30 30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.  So buckle that belt of truth around your waist and hold on because it is going to get awesome real quick with God in the lead.

The Pilgrimage continues….

David Warren