Trusting my Shepherd

The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord. And so it is with people. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” O Zion, messenger of good news, shout from the mountaintops! Shout it louder, O Jerusalem. Shout, and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah, “Your God is coming!” Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes. He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young. Isaiah 40:7-11

The Bible is replete with references that talk about God as the Shepherd. When you understand the magnitude of the Lord as your Shepherd, this knowledge can provide you an incredible peace of mind! When the Bible refers to God as the Shepherd it points to His ability to know everything about His sheep. “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (John 10:3). When you trust God and obey Him because He is your Lord, His promise is that He will meet your needs. “The Lord is my shepherd,

I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1) His plan is to give His sheep the best that He had. “Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?” (Romans 8:32). This is what the Father did, He gave the best He had, His only begotten Son. “No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded” (John 10:18). The sheep know the voice of His Shepherd. They follow and they listen to His word. From the text, the reason why the sheep will trust the Shepherd because His word is sure and His promises in His word will come to pass. He will establish His rule, will show His love to them, He will guide them, and He will carry them in His arms. Do you trust in your Good Shepherd that you are willing to follow His word? Do you long from His nourishment that comes from His word more than any that you desire to obtain from the world? The Psalmist was resolved in coming alone to God for help and not to the world for “no one else can help” (Psalm 22:11). If you find yourself still “wanting” for more from God and you start to look somewhere else, it is not that your Shepherd is unable or unwilling to meet your needs; it may be that you lack the faith to receive all that He has to give or what He gives are not what you are wanting. Could it be that you have become dissatisfied with what your Shepherd has been providing and you are you missing the joy that comes from having a Shepherd who cares for you? Rely only in Him and trust Him to meet the needs in your life that He alone could provide.

Blessings,

Noel De Guzman Westside Baptist Church Los Angeles, CA