Follow the Shepherd today. The easiest way to stay out of trouble is to follow the Shepherd. Don’t follow at a distance, instead, follow very closely. The Shepherd knows your needs. He understands you. He knows when you are hungry and in need of grazing in green pastures. He knows when you are thirsty and in need of a drink. The Shepherd knows when you are tired and in need of rest beside quiet waters. The Shepherd also knows when you are weak, weary, wounded, and too feeble to walk on your own. It is in those moments that He carries, comforts, and nurses you back to health. Those who follow closely are well nourished and are spiritually healthy. To not follow the Shepherd is to be lonely. It is to have an overload of burdens. It is to wilt, but ultimately it is to fail.

Listen to the Shepherd today. The Shepherd knows what is best for you. Listen to Him. Those who enjoy green pastures and find rest for their souls listen to the Shepherd. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27) God’s Word is God’s most sure voice in your life today. Tune in and find out what the Shepherd is saying. It is in His Word that you will find strength and direction for your life. Regardless of whether you have been listening to the Shepherd or not, start today. His words give life. They give hope in difficult times. They give courage when you are surrounded by fearful situations. The Shepherd’s voice is your anchor. Listen today.

Do you know the Shepherd? Seek to know the Shepherd today. A life devoid of the Shepherd is a life of many struggles and endless mistakes. Only God, the Shepherd, can lead you beside quiet waters in life. Only the Shepherd can restore your soul and lead you in paths of righteousness. The Shepherd never casts away those who come to Him. (John 6:37) The Shepherd’s arms are open to you. He is beckoning you to Himself saying, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

The Shepherd is watching over you today. God will not leave you to be engulfed in the storms and flames of life. God loves you. He will stand with you. He will walk with you through those dark valleys. He will overshadow you with His presence. You will not go under, instead, it shall be well because the Shepherd is watching over you. Look at the Shepherd’s promise to you today: “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” Isaiah 43:1-2


God, your Shepherd, likens Himself to a mother. Like a mother, God is committed to your welfare. He oversees that you are well fed and that your needs are met sufficiently. When a child is cradled in his mother’s arms, there is no fear of anything. There is deep comfort and settled assurance that all will be well. Find comfort in the Shepherd’s words to you today: “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” Isaiah 49:15. Stay in the loving arms of the Shepherd and it shall be well.

Your Shepherd has sufficient grace to take you through today. God knows what befalls you. In fact, nothing comes your way without passing through His hand. He weighs, determines, and permits only what He knows you will handle. In moments when your strength weakens and your endurance wanes, His grace prevails. When your courage diminishes and fear takes a central stage, His arms of grace hold and strengthen you. When you get overwhelmed and your spirit gets crushed within you, it is His grace that carries you. God’s grace is sufficient for your situations today. Take His Word of promise and let His grace help you. “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

The Shepherd will strengthen you today. God understands when you are weary and exhausted from the situations you encounter in life. In those moments, learn to sit still at the feet of the Shepherd. Allow Him to put His arms of love around you. You do not have to talk or tell Him much, for He understands. In moments when you do not know what to say, the Shepherd reads your heart and understands your intentions. When tears roll and the anguish pains so deeply, still, He hears. Yes, tears are a language He understands. Take courage, He is with you. See His promise for you today:
“For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.” Isaiah 30:15

Observe the Shepherd today. When God delivered His children from Egypt, that land of bondage, He led them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. His children were to watch for those pillars. Whenever the pillar of cloud lifted from above the tent, God’s children knew it was time to journey forth. When the cloud stood still, they camped and waited. As long as they observed and stayed in step with Yahweh, they were safe: they were protected and their needs were met. They enjoyed the warmth of God’s presence and their hearts were at peace. Observe, see, and understand what the Lord is doing. Don’t move when He is not moving. Don’t act when He wants you to be still. Follow when you see Him move. Stay in step with the Shepherd today.

The Shepherd knows what you need and what is important. A shepherd does not lead his flock to poisonous pastures. Goats can eat shrubs, briers, thistles, and other thorny vegetation without a problem. Sheep are very selective when it comes to eating. The shepherd does not offer his sheep what is harmful or dangerous. He does not withhold what is good for nourishment either. God, your Shepherd, will not let you lack what is good and necessary for your wellbeing. He is your Shepherd, He will not let you be in want. (Psalm 23:1) He will not give you what is poisonous or harmful either. In order to protect you from possible harm, there are times when God has to say “No.” “No” does not imply that God hates you. A “No” answer from the throne of God is true love in action. Don’t insist on getting what the Shepherd does not want you to have. Remember His promise: “No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. “(Psalm 84:11b)

The Shepherd will walk with you. God has not left you helpless. You are not alone. Regardless of what surrounds you, you have a helper, the Holy Spirit, who dwells in you. God is that wonderful Shepherd who not only walks with His children but indwells them. He understands the groans of your heart. He interprets the sighing of your heart because He resides right there. Find help and comfort in His promise from John 16:16-18 today. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”

The Shepherd is looking out for you. Sheep are very vulnerable. Not only do they stumble easily, but they also stray from the path with similar ease. Should sheep fall on their back, they cannot get back up without support and help. It is for such reasons that a shepherd carefully searches for pasture where his sheep will not be endangered. As he leads his sheep, he cautiously looks out for cliffs, potholes, grooves, and sudden changes in terrain. He avoids paths where there is possibility of danger. He looks out for dangerous animals that can spook and hurt his flock. God, your Shepherd is looking out for you too. As you see Him wave and swing His staff, His aim is to protect and keep you in the way everlasting.

The Shepherd wants you to have the best in life. Your joy, comfort, and safety are a priority to the Shepherd. It is for such concerns that God gently leads His children in paths of righteousness. Your fulfillment and satisfaction in life correlate to your ability to follow the Shepherd. God does not drive His sheep. He leads us in love, gentleness, and kindness. “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” (Isaiah 40:11) When you follow Him, you are assured of having the very best in life. A failure to follow the Shepherd subjects you to what is subsidiary.

Storms of life, the cares of this world, and sin have a way of beating upon the heart of man. These things make you weary, weak, and unable to run the spiritual race with effectiveness. God, your Shepherd is aware of that. It is for such reasons that He takes it upon Himself to restore your soul. (Psalm 23:3) Today, the Shepherd will stretch out His arm of love to you. He will soothe your sorrows. He will nurse your hurts. He will love on you. His will restore you. Enjoy God’s nourishment for your heart today. Allow Him to hold you closer to Himself. Walk hand in hand with the Shepherd and let Him restore and refresh your heart. “The Lord is my Shepherd…He restores my soul.”

The Shepherd will not take you through short-cuts. Look at what He told His children thousands of years ago: “And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea. (Exodus 13:17-18) Are you walking through the wilderness? Take heart, the Shepherd may be safeguarding you from war. Does the journey seem long, torturous, and endless? Don’t lose heart; God may be saving you from being maimed by your enemy.

You matter to the Shepherd. Regardless of how big a herd or a flock a shepherd may have, he does not forget one single animal. You are not just a number to God. God cares and He knows you by name. He loves you. The troubles of this world are good at shielding our hearts from seeing and appreciating the love of our Shepherd. You are precious, you are royal. Look at how the Shepherd sees you. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. (1 Peter 2:9) The Shepherd knows and calls you by name each day. (John 10:3)

The Shepherd will make your bones fat. He will satisfy your heart in moments of drought. The Shepherd does not take pride in malnourished sheep. God will nourish you and your little ones. God will not leave you to huff and puff like one who is destitute in a dry and scorched land. Take His promise and walk with hope and courage today: “And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” (Isaiah 58:11)