Eyes on the Shepherd

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1

We were looking at the sheep.

That was twenty-five years ago. We were starting to build our single men’s and women’s group. Since we were early out of college, we got accustomed on depending with our former student leaders. We looked at them as we were setting to lay foundations of this new group. We waited on them to lead us and just do what they have been done when we were in college. We thought that they can lead our prayer meetings, give us vision and grow our group. There is only one minor problem: they were working out of the our local city and scheduling was very tough on them.

For those early years, the group was basically existing but fledgling. We can’t get out of the funk. We thought we had the same fervor as we had when we were in the university but to no avail.

Until, we set our eyes at the Shepherd.

We realized that depending upon the Shepherd instead on the sheep, enabled us to see who leads the direction, provides vision and sustains the passion. We experienced that banking on the sheep was a limitation while trusting the Shepherd had no boundaries. As the Shepherd led us, we counted on His availability and not on the ability of the sheep. His rod directed our paths and led us to fresh and green beginnings. His staff protected us and by His grace and mercy, the group grew and twenty-five years after, the cup runneth over.

Through all valleys of life, the Shepherd is our constant companion while the flock may change almost every season of life. Don’t focus on the sheep, set your eyes on the Shepherd, and you shall not want.

 

 

 

When there’s a gap, there’s God

When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” John 6:5

There’s the gap.

This is the interval when you and I will think, “will I stay or will I go astray?”. Between the time the weird sounds were coming from empty stomachs and the moment the produce touches the wanting tongues.  This is the spell when you look to God and God just looks at you. You are hungry and he knows this. But no food comes, not yet. No multiplication, not yet.  As you wait, your hunger makes you weaker, makes you think twice or thrice.

This gap is very familiar. That time you prayed for healing and you waited for maybe months or even years. This gap is common to all. That time you asked him to touch a family member, but you have to ask him a thousand times before it happened. This gap is a challenge for everyone. That moment when you whispered, will he answer your plea about getting employed after sitting at home for quite some time.

God meets you in that gap.

He stays with you. He knows your needs. He is working on responding to your prayers. He has a plan to satisfy you. He is ordering the order on how to fill you up just like he instructed the disciples. He is asking you to sit back, may be on the grass and let him do his work.

Will you stay with him during the gap? Will you continue to look to him and not on other directions? Will you stay with the other five thousand as you wait for his hand to feed your need?

Don’t lose hope in the gap. Be strong as you grow weaker in the gap.

For when there’s a gap, there’s God.