Our lives are composed of seasons and inside each of those seasons, we experience God-intended, God-directed activity. Nothing is spontaneous or casual … everything is structured and crafted.
This reality has been tested in my life many times …and every time, I discover anew …
Staying In Step With The Shepherd … And Living In The Fulness Of His Favor!
In the scriptures, there are many references about shepherds and sheep.
We know that David was a shepherd and that he was called to be a “shepherd” over the flock of God.
Perhaps the most familiar reference to a “shepherd” is David’s confession and confirmation in Psalm 23, where he boldly declares,
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”.
There are great lessons for us to glean from these passages … and this is the one that I want us to hold on to and to live out fully …
Staying In Step With Our Great Shepherd … And Living In The Fulness Of His Favor!
As I revisited and reflected again on these verses I was reminded of what Michelle Seidler, wrote in her article, ‘Your Greatest Strength … Unlocking God’s Favor’.
She contends that we can unlock and experience God’s great favor when we learn to abide in Him … to rest in Him, receive from Him and respond to Him.
Michelle goes on to say …
▪ Rest is the first step in abiding. Your soul must be at rest in order to hear and receive from the Lord. A soul that trusts in who God is, is at rest. Foundational to rest is the assurance of who God is, that He is good, He is love, and He can be trusted. When you know that God can be trusted you stop striving. You taste what it means to abide.
▪ Receiving in any form requires humility. Someone who is already full cannot be filled, and cannot receive. Those who don’t know what was given at the cross live as orphans and are constantly trying to get something they think they need.
▪ When you are at rest, hearing and receiving from God the Father, you then come into responding. Are you tired of trying to get God to do what you want? Or even of trying to get God to do what He showed you, He would do? What if you could instead discern what doors are open for you and you began walking through them, instead of trying to knock down doors? Take courage. He already made a way for you, giving you everything in advance at the cross.
These are the very things that Psalm 23 focuses on and all of these things are the results of staying in step with the Shepherd.
Staying In Step With The Shepherd … And Living In The Fulness Of His Favor!
I know that I long for this and I pray that you do as well.
Let’s take this journey together.
-Terry-
2020 THEME
Rendering Ourselves Empty … In Order To Receive His Plenty!