Gentle Shepherd

July 22, 2021
Midweek study with Pastor Edith
John 10:14

Jesus says that he knows his sheep as in John 10:14; “I am the good shepherd and I know my sheep and my sheep know me”.

This “Knowing” is more than a simple identification that there are sheep present, but he knows each sheep individually and as Psalm 95:7 says; “we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care”.

This is a great comfort to me, and I pray it is for you as well, especially when you face difficult decisions or situations as you navigate this day. I read a short article in the recent Christian Living in the Mature years magazine written by Michelle J. Morris that made me stop and think about the reality of scripture in my life, especially when I don’t want to read it; “If one more person suggests to me that I should pray the Psalms, I may punch them in the face…That [sentiment] was probably as good a proof as any that I really needed to be praying the Psalms.

"I was in one of those dark nights of the soul when I felt deeply disconnected from God…if I am honest I didn’t want to talk to God. Really, what could God say to me anyway that would make me feel better?” Michelle goes on to share that there are just sometimes we can’t find the words to pray and so why not pray God’s word? I can relate to her frustration, especially when people expect me to be a 24/7 Bible Scholar and Prayer Warrior.

How about you? Are you walking through “the valley of the shadow” as in Psalm 23? Hold on, help is on the way. Try praying through a Psalm today, or at least part of one and if you find yourself among the shepherd psalms, remember, you can never stray so far that He can’t find you, and you can always trust that He cares for you even when you can’t feel it in the current moment.

Recently I sang a little lullaby to a hurting friend who requested a song. It comes from a hymn written by William Gaither in 1974 and is one I sang to my babies, and now to their babies ; “Gentle Shepherd, come and lead us, for we need you to help us find our way. Gentle shepherd, come and feed us, for we need your strength from day to day. There’s no other we can turn to who can help us face another day; Gentle shepherd come and lead us, for we need you to help us find our way”.

AMEN