THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD!

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

(Listening=Hearing=and taking COURAGE in his voice)

 

This world puts out

ALL KINDS of voices=many of them=

LEAD us towards =

A path of destruction

 

But we NEED to have

The courage

To listen=and DISCERN

The voice of THE LORD

 

Who LISTENS to us?

Who HEARS us and sends us

The VOICE of everlasting peace

And SURVIVAL at all times?

 

“But WHOEVER enters through the gate

IS the SHEPHERD of the sheep

 

The gatekeeper

OPENS it for him

And the sheep HEAR his voice

 

As the SHEPHERD calls

His own sheep=

By name-and leads them out”                                                                                                                John 10:2-3

 

“The LORD is my Shepherd-

I lack nothing”                                                                                                                          Psalm 23:1

 

HOW do we FIND the voice

Of the shepherd

In this often CONFUSING WORLD?

And WHERE do we find

The COURAGE to FOLLOW the shepherd?

 

With so many VOICES trying

To PULL US in all different directions

 

“They mounted

UP to the heavens

And went down

To the depths

 

In their peril

Their courage MELTED away”                                                                                                           Psalm 107:26

 

“But Jesus-

Immediately said to them-

‘TAKE courage!-It is I-

Don’t be afraid’”                                                                                                                    Matthew 14:27

 

“WHEN they saw

The COURAGE of Peter and John

And REALIZED

 

That they were unschooled-

ORDINARY MEN-

They were astonished

And took note

 

That these men

Had been with Jesus”                                                                                                                Acts 4:13

 

YES-Peter and John=

KNEW who their SHEPHERD was

 

They knew to listen to him

They knew that he heard them

And they took COURAGE

In his voice

 

Today=MOST PEOPLE=have lost track

Of WHOSE voice they should FOLLOW

 

HOW do we know

Which voice it is to follow

In today’s world?

 

FOLLOW the voice of the

GOOD SHEPHERD=who lays down

HIS life=for his sheep

 

“I am the GOOD shepherd

The good SHEPHERD lays down

His life=for his sheep

 

The hired hand is NOT

The Shepherd

And does not own the sheep

 

So WHEN he sees the wolf coming

-He ABANDONS the sheep-

And runs away……..”                                                                                                                  John 10:11-12

 

Dear Lord=alone and IN THE DARK=

As well as IN the light of day

 

WE LISTEN to your voice-

And follow you

 

You ARE OUR GOOD SHEPHERD=

IN ALL TIMES

 

In Jesus’ name

 

Robert P. Wallman

5-7-17

 

 

Ps         INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Amy Welborn