Shepherd

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Tenderly Lead Me

A phrase that I recently read in a scripture has lingered in my heart for the last few days. When I read it, the words instantly touched my heart and I felt loved. Even though I did not hear Him speak these words thousands of years ago, I could hear the tenderness with which He spoke them. I could hear the tenderness with which He is still speaking them.

Fear not, little flock… (Luke 12:32, KJV)

The Lord is my Shepherd. He watches over me. He watches over His flock. We have nothing to fear. There is no fear in love.

In these difficult times, in these perilous times we are not like those without a shepherd. We are not without someone to tenderly lead us and guide us through the fray; leading us to still and peaceful waters.

…you’ve taken me by the hand. You wisely and tenderly lead me, and then you bless me. (Psalm 73:24, The Message)

…he leads me beside peaceful streams. (Psalm 23:2, NLT)

Just as sheep are not responsible for finding their own nourishment, for providing their own safety, for finding their own way in this life, neither are we. What sheep are responsible for is by faith following the Shepherd wherever and however He leads.

…he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. (John 10:4, KJV)

THE LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. (Psalm 23:1-6, KJV)

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are you not much better than they? …Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these… (Matthew 6:26-29, KJV)

…seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:31-32, KJV)

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To Be Known by God

…the man who loves God is known by God. (1 Corinthians 8:3, NIV)

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep... (John 10:14, KJV)

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me…(John 10:27, KJV)

I think of a famous quote by Benjamin Franklin, “Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few…”

I have many friends and acquaintances. Among those friends and acquaintances, I have all types of relationships. Some I see on an occasional basis. Others I see more regularly.

Some people I see only when I am working. Others I only see in social settings. Some I work with and socialize with.

But the number gets much smaller when you count the friends I would bare my heart to. Friends who know more about me than most.

And even then, only one person really knows me. That would be my husband. He knows things about me that I have never shared with another human being.

But I believe all of us have deep areas in our hearts, parts of our being that no one knows or sees. Memories that we alone remember. Dreams and disappointments that no one else knows about.

It surprises me when after knowing one another for 22 years, my husband and I find out new things about one another. Not because we are keeping things from one another, but things that we just never thought to share, such as a childhood memory.

The other day I was just sitting on my couch thinking, when a smile crossed my face. I smiled because it occurred to me that God knows every thing about me. There is no detail of my life that He doesn’t know. And knowing that, blessed me.

Especially when I thought about the fact that this awesome, omniscient (all-knowing) God loves me. He knows everything about me and He loves me.

There is nothing hidden in my heart that He isn’t aware of. He is even aware of things in my heart that I didn’t even know were there. He knows me better than I even know myself.

I like that. The King of the Universe knows me.

O LORD, you have searched me [thoroughly] and have known me. You know my downsitting and my uprising; You understand my thought far off. You sift and search out my path and my lying down, and You are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue [still unuttered], but, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. (Psalm 139:1-4, Amplified)

You, O Lord, know me. 🙂