Today, we start with how to ensure your safety as a sheep in this world. A sheep knows better than to be alone without any help. The first way to ensure your safety is to have a shepherd. Jesus is your shepherd. He is the good shepherd.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep” John 10:11 NLT.
He repeated it here
“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me,” John 10:14 NLT.
What does a shepherd do? A shepherd looks over a flock of sheep. He is their guardian, watching over them. A protector that keeps them safe from being attacked by other animals stronger than they. He is their provider, ensuring they graze on the choicest grasslands.
As a child, you have to be under the protection of somebody. That’s why you have parents to look after you. They gave birth to you and really care for you. They will protect and provide for you. God has made them shepherds over you in this world.
Prayer: Lord, help me to obey my parents who are my shepherds in Jesus name. Amen
Action Point: Have you been disobedient to your parents? Repent.
Declaration: I am an obedient child. I listen to my parents.
There is something personal about that. “The Lord is my…” It didn’t say the Lord is “our shepherd.”
“He is my….”
He will attend to me personally. He does not deal with me generally. Only God can do that. He attends to billions of people with billions of requests in billions of places at the same time without missing a beat or wiping sweat off His brow. He doesn’t make mistakes. He would not mistakenly give me a bicycle when my request was for a car.
The shepherding grace of God then is what I enjoy when I have a personal relationship with God, not just by being a member of a church.
The first thing I need to do then is to develop a conscious relationship with God, who is my shepherd.
No wonder Jesus Christ said:
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
John 10:14
There must of necessity be a personal knowing, a connectedness, a relationship with God upon which every successful courtship and marriage will stand.
He will personally attend specifically to my marital needs. He knows who I am, who I need, and who I don’t need!
He is my shepherd!
2. He wants your submission and obedience
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He wants you to lie down and feed on His Word, and He doesn’t want you running around all over the place. Adam couldn’t get a wife until He slept. Some of us are just too awake. Sometimes, you just need to be still and know that He is God and that He is your shepherd.
It is not only your toasting skill that will get you a spouse, sometimes it is just your ability to be still and follow His direction. It is not all about the dressing and the perfumes alone, there is a place for His fragrance which comes by His favour!
Psalm 46:10Be still, and know that I am God:
Message translations says, “Step out of the traffic…”
That is why He calls you a sheep, even though you might not like that particular creature. You probably prefer a lion. But the sheep actually shows the true vulnerability of the Homo-Sapien. However, the sheep that stay with the shepherd is even more powerful than the lion!
Stay obedient to Him!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want a good spouse
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, guide me with your shepherding grace to find the right spouse.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Psalm 46:11The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Read and meditate on Psalm 23
Do you know that you need a shepherd? There are several reasons a sheep needs the help of a superior being. In face, a sheep knows better than to be alone without any help.
The first reason is for safety. The first way to ensure your safety is to have a shepherd. Jesus is your shepherd, and He is the good One.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep”
John 10:11 NLT
He repeated it here
“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me,”
John 10:14 NLT
What does a shepherd do? He looks over a flock of sheep. He is their guardian, watching over them.
A shepherd also protects. He keeps them safe from being attacked by other animals stronger than they. He is their provider, ensuring they graze on the choicest grasslands.
As a child, you have to be under the protection of somebody. That’s why you have parents to look after you. They gave birth to you and really care for you. They will protect and provide for you because God has made them shepherds over you in this world.
Prayer: Lord, help me to obey my parents who are my shepherds in Jesus name. Amen
Action Point: Have you been disobedient to your parents? Repent.
Declaration: I am an obedient child. I listen to my parents.
Recognizing and following Christ as the good shepherd is what will ensure you go in the right direction. And to follow, you need to trust.
Every sheep that will get the best from its shepherd must learn how to be still. Being still means to trust in the shepherd’s person, that he would never lead them to a place of danger or harm nor will he leave them in the face of trouble.
They trust him to take them to where the choicest grasses are and the cleanest of water is.
The Lord is my Shepherd. I have everything I need. He gives me rest in green pastures. He leads me to calm waters. Psalm 23:1-2 ICB
They follow behind him, and when he stops, they stop too. An obedient sheep knows to stay within the safe boundaries created by the shepherd.
It is not in the sheep’s place to teach the shepherd what to do but to watch, listen to and obey the shepherd at all times. This is what following Christ means.
Do you obey your parents at home? When they tell you not to do something because of the bad things that could happen to you, do you listen to them? Or you do as you like, thinking you know what’s best for you?
A sheep doesn’t know what’s best for it. Only the shepherd does. Are you a good sheep following Jesus as your shepherd? Do you obey Him by obeying your parent’s instructions? These questions will help you know if you are following Christ.
The most important question that you need to ask yourself right now is this—have you accepted Jesus into your life as your Lord and Saviour? If yes, are you obeying His leading? If not, do so today.
May the Lord make you a good sheep. Amen.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe you are the son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. I want to be a sheep in your flock. Please be my shepherd. In your mighty name, I pray. Amen.
Action point: Work on your relationship with the good Shepherd.
Declaration: The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
Today we will be looking at Jehovah Rohi – The Lord is my Shepherd. A shepherd guides a flock of sheep through different terrains. He ensures that they eat from the best vegetation around them and protects them from any harm.
The sheep also trust in the Shepherd to protect and provide for them. They know nothing about where the best grasses are or where danger persists. That is why they trust their Shepherd.
God’s unique name – Jehovah Rohi, shows you another dimension from which He operates. This is the area where He shows Himself as a Protector and Provider.
From the abundance of His heart and might, He provides for all our needs. Whatever they are, God is able to meet them all. Just like He is Elohim, the Eternal Creator, He is also the Shepherd who meets all of your needs.
He also is the One who protects you from all harm. The Shepherd will always fight off any predator who wants to harm the sheep. He won’t leave any stone unturned to ensure that the sheep are safe.
When you pray to the Lord as your Shepherd (Jehovah Rohi), this calls on God to reveal Himself as both a provider and a protector.
Like the Psalmist said in
Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd. I have everything I need.” ICB.
When you read the whole of Psalm twenty-three, you will see how the Psalmist totally expressed his total dependence and trust in Jehovah Rohi. He trusted God for protection, provision, and peace of mind.
God sees you when things are good and bad and is always ready to help you. He knows what to do and how to do it.
Psalm 37:18-19 “The Lord knoweth the days of the upright and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the day of famine they shall be satisfied.”
Pray and call Him Jehovah Rohi. Let Him be your Provider and Protector. Jehovah Rohi protects and provides for you. Amen.
Prayer: Jehovah Rohi, thank you for providing and protecting me always. I am grateful for your care always.
