Growing Confidence in the Good Shepherd…..
Note about this photo: While in Florida in December 2020, we attended a Hanukkah event where a man on stilts was blowing bubbles. Ron caught this reflection of a reflection in one of those bubbles. I thought it made for a pretty cool photo!
Two days before the arrival of the new year—December 30th—Coeur d’Alene received record snowfall for that date. Between 8-12 inches of fluffy white stuff fell from the sky.
After meeting for breakfast with our daughter, Sarah, who was born 40 years earlier on an unseasonably dry and warm December 30th, Ron spent a lot of his day using the snow blower and snow shovel. One of his tasks was to create a ‘potty’ path for our 13-pound Shi Tzu, Merci. When snow is that deep and your legs are only five inches long, you need a caregiver to forge a path for you!
A Bible verse that’s become extremely meaningful to me the past couple years is from the familiar Psalm 23.
The Lord is my shepherd…
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Psalm 23: 1a & 3 (emphasis mine)
One sleepless night, the Holy Spirit seemed to impress this brief passage of Scripture on me in a personal and profound manner. I cannot begin to explain how grateful I am to have the Lord, my Good Shepherd, lead me in right paths—not for my own comfort and convenience—but for the eternal purpose of his name’s sake.
Since that memorable night, I’ve been exploring different spiritual practices, which though new to me, are in fact ancient disciplines utilized by Christians through many generations. When I’ve encountered questions or doubts, the reminder of Psalm 23:3 reassures, and as a result…
Faith in my Good Shepherd keeps growing.
I don’t doubt there will be times in my journey when course adjustment becomes necessary. As one who follows Christ, I’ll always be learning, growing, discerning, and adjusting. Personal awareness, followed by renewed ways of thinking and acting, are parts of the process in becoming more and more like Jesus.
Perhaps that’s why Scripture uses the metaphors of ‘shepherd’ and ‘sheep.’ Sheep aren’t the brightest critters! Even like our little Merci needs a caregiver to create a helpful pathway through the snow, God’s beloved ‘sheep’ need a shepherd who will always be present to lead them in right paths.
As we step into 2021, my prayer is that we’ll be sheep who cooperate with the leading of our Good Shepherd. My personal commitment for this new year is to cheer on other “sheep” in the flock—to believe the Lord is trustworthy and will lead them in right paths even as I am being led.
All of this requires faith. I love the insight of Oswald Chambers, early 20th Century Scottish religious teacher and writer, concerning faith, “Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose way you may not understand at the time.”
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you told your friends,
I am the good shepherd.
I know my own and my own know me. (John 10:14)
Remind me—one who knows you—that I can be assured
you will lead me in right paths for your name’s sake.
Keep teaching me how to recognize your voice.
Keep showing me when I veer off the ‘path of righteousness.’
Keep building within me deliberate confidence in your character.
Amen
Happy 2021!
