“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters”
A Good Shepherd leads. He knows the way and calls us to follow. It’s important to have a good leader on any trip. We do not have to worry about going the right way or if we have missed a turn. We can have a confidence that allows us to enjoy the journey. A good leader brings comfort and success in any endeavor. In our reading of Psalm 23 today, David tells us that the Lord, His Shepherd, “leads beside quiet waters”. The Good Shepherd doesn’t just watch the sheep…He leads them. We, as sheep, do not always know the right way to go. Sheep do not know where the watering holes are. We do not know what is ahead and where the dangers may lie. But, the Good Shepherd knows and He calls us to follow. When Jesus talked about Himself as the Good Shepherd He said:
“He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He goes ahead of them, and His sheep follow because they know His voice.” (John 10:3,4)
A good leader/shepherd knows his sheep by name and calls for them to come. Also, he “goes ahead of them”. Jesus is the Good Shepherd that calls us by name and He goes first. He is the pioneer of our faith. He can say, “I have been there, done that”. We can be assured that He knows the way and would not steer us wrong. There is a relationship between the sheep and the Shepherd. He not only “knows” us, but we know Him. When you know the Shepherd and trust Him following comes natural. No wonder the disciples left their nets to join Jesus. No wonder they stuck with Him all the way to the Garden of Gethsemane. Will you let Jesus lead you to the cross today? Hear the words of this hymn:
“King of my life, I crown Thee now, Thine shall the glory be; Lest I forget Thy thorn-crowned brow, Lead me to Calvary. Lest I forget Gethsemane; Lest I forget Thine agony; Lest I forget Thy love for me, Lead me to Calvary”
Today, let The Good Shepherd lead you and don’t be afraid…He knows where He is going.