The ST forum page (Sat 29 Jan 2005) recently featured the article entitled “Why God ‘allowed’ deadly tsunami to strike.” This raised the age-old debate over the question of evil and suffering and the very character of God. We live in perilous times where disasters occur in increased frequency and magnitude – some are man-made such as terrorism, others are natural calamities.

Amidst the outpouring of love and compassion, many believers wondered, as did the forum writer, “Where was God when the tsunamis hit”. Is the God whom who know as all-loving God not all-powerful enough to stop this catastrophe? To this, staunch Calvinist believers respond that God is sovereign and all-powerful and He chooses whom He will to be benevolent.

Another response has been to view suffering as God’s megaphone to mankind to be a better steward of the earth. Yet even this may not provide a satisfactory answer to understanding the nature of God. Perhaps we may not be able to have any answer that is totally satisfactory for now. For even Job, the most righteous man on earth did not obtain a satisfactory answer to his sufferings; in fact all the well-intentioned attempts by his pious and learned friends to address his suffering merely compounded his anguish. It may be that the only thing that can silence all doubts is in a personal experience of God Himself. In the personal encounter with the Great “I AM”, all Job’s doubts and anguish were laid to silence as he acknowledge the awesomeness of the mystery and grandeur of God Himself.

In today’s topic, I hope that we will have a glimpse into the heart of the Good Shepherd (Slide 1 ) so that like Job we can rise above the doubts and confusion about human sufferings to rest our faith and trust in the Sovereign Creator whose heart is immeasurably compassionate and kind towards a suffering sin-laden humanity.

The imagery of the relationship between the shepherd and his sheep is a wonderful imagery. It is rooted in the very history and culture of the Israelites -their patriarchs were nomadic shepherds in the desert. (Slides 2 & 3) It is the world’s oldest profession – we are told that Abel, Adam’s son, was a shepherd (Gen 5). Moses was a shepherd for 40 years in the deserts before God called him to lead His people out of the land of Egypt; David was a shepherd tending his father’s sheep when the Lord sent Samuel to anoint him as king of Israel.

Against this background, the Old Testament delineates God as the Shepherd of Israel (Gen 49:24); “We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 100:3 ); “ Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock.” (Psalm 80:1). Isaiah declared, “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’ (Isa 40:11); Jesus elaborated on the imagery in John 10 when He said “ I am the Good Shepherd”. This imagery is a picture of God’s shepherd heart and His tender care, provision and protection over His people, the flock of his pasture. The imagery of a shepherd pictures the blessings enjoyed by those who follow Jesus; and it should remind us of the duties we have as His sheep

First, Jesus says that He is the door to the fold (John 10:7). He speaks of leading His sheep in. It is obvious that He is only one door. “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me?” (v6). And the blessings for the one entering into God’s flock through Christ are that he will be saved and safe. All this is made possible through His atoning death for sin at the cross. Jesus said, “The good shepherd lay down His life for His sheep.” (Jn 10:28). Christ died for our sins, in our place, taking our rap upon himself. In contrast , hirelings will flee when there is danger. Wild animals lurk in the canyon walls. Sudden storms may sweep down the valleys. There may be floods. The good shepherd does not flee in moments of danger. The good shepherd protects his sheep and defends them with his life. Jesus did not flee – He chose the road to Gethsemane and He chose to hang at the cross. The mockers derided him, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save.” (Mark 15:31). Jesus could come down from the cross – a legion of angels would swiftly rescue him at the beckoning of His word. But He chose to give up His life for us as a ransom for a sin-captivated, suffering world. The cross is substitutionary sacrifice.

Have you ever wondered about the feelings of Barabbas, the criminal who was condemned to crucifixion but was released only because the crowd manipulated his freedom and won him his freedom at the cost of Jesus’ life. When the earthquake shook Jerusalem and rent the veil of the temple, did he stagger to Golgotha to see the cross. If he did, would he have looked at the Saviour’s face and would he have cried with anguished confession, “Oh God, that was my cross! And He took it for me!”

In contemplating the death of Christ and the meaning of the cross, we should take our place at the foot of the cross. Careful observation of the crowd in Rembrandt’s painting of the crucifixion reveals a dynamic discovery: the faces of the people are filled with pathos and wonderment. One of them is Rembrandt himself! He painted himself into the crucifixion scene. When we take our stand amongst the people who stood by watching while Jesus was crucified, we will begin to capture what the cross meant.

Jesus said, “I come that you may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Psalm 23 speaks of the shepherd’s provision for each physical need of the flock.

. “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want” (Slide 4). What does the sheep want or need? The nature of the sheep gives us a clue as to what are their needs – sheep are timid animals and in need of protection and provision; they are also foolish animals always straying away; they need protection from fiercer creatures, they need guidance as they tend to stray from the path. (Slide 5). Thus the shepherd must find grass and water in a dry and stony land, protect his charges from weather and from fiercer creatures, and retrieve any strayed animal. When his duties carried him far from human haunts, a bag held his immediate necessities and a tent might be his dwelling. Their job involves bringing the sheep back safely to the fold.

When we think of “green pastures”, we probably have a picture of green luscious pastures like those in Pennsylvania (Slides 5 & 6). But that is not the case in Israel. There are no lush hillsides of green grass. Rugged wilderness covers much of Israel (slide 6). The Judean wilderness abounds with rocks, hills, and canyons (Slide 7). The climate is one of extremes—scorching hot temperatures by day turn to near-freezing temperatures at night. The pastures actually look like rocky, barren hillsides. Scattered amidst the rocks are meager blades of grasses (Slide 8). The shepherd will have to look for the little patch of grass amidst desert condition. The interesting thing is that sheep can eat all of one day’s grass and yet not worry about where tomorrow’s grass will come from. They trust the shepherd to find new pastures for them.

“Green pastures” in desert conditions (Slide 9) challenges believers to trust God day by day. If we trust in our Shepherd, then we ought not to be so weighed down with cares and worries – not worry about what lies ahead. The Good Shepherd doesn’t promise a life of luxury or long-term supplies, but he will always give the pasture needed for the moment. As his sheep, we should trust God today rather than worrying about the future. You may not see it now, but a new tuft of grass will always be there in the morning. In Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus instructs us not to worry about what we will eat or wear because God will provide all of this for us. “So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:31-33).

The famous missionary George Mueller started an orphanage in England and continually trusted God for the daily operations of the orphanage. On a particular day there was not a single halfpenny to buy bread for he evening meal. At one o’clock Muller prayed with his staff for their daily bread and told them that they must wait and se how the Lord would see fit to meet their need. We went out for a walk. On his way back, about 20 years form his house, he met a Christian brother who gave him five pounds for the orphans. Exactly one year later, his journal provides another illustration of living by faith. On that day same small contributions were received at the orphanage, enough for the next day’s breakfast but not enough for the next dinner. He described that day’s staff meeting in his journal: “Our comfort is “The morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Two hand half hours before dinner the next day, a large box arrived at the orphanage with a generous contribution and some valuable articles that could be saved. We were filled with indescribable joy.”

Three other imageries Psalm 23 illustrates the benevolence of God’s provision - table of feast; the oil and wine (slide 11). ‘He spreads a table of feast in the presence of my enemies’ suggests abundant provision and blessings even when we in hostile environment. Proverbs tells us that when a man’s ways pleases the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Wine and oil in OT suggest blessings in abundance; they well suited the inhabitants of a dry and barren land and were much valued. In Palestine, where the sun shines fiercely most of the year and skin becomes cracked and broken, throats parched and dusty, oil soothes the skin, especially the face; wine clears the throat. Hospitality demanded provision of oil and wine to guest so they will be soothed from the ravages of travel – “O Lord, make thy face to shine on thy servant.” face shining with oil of blessing. Wine and oil are a symbol of joy and gladness.

It is not just our physical needs or daily bread that He promises to provide. Our needs could be emotional needs, financial needs, needs for companionship and friendship, need for wisdom and guidance. There is no need too trivial or too big for God.

The keys to the abundant blessings are surrender and obedience. We surrender so that God can fill our lives with His abundance. When I first sensed God’s calling into full-time ministry, I was petrified at the prospect of giving up all my security for an uncertain future. Having studied hard for a university degree, I was not about to give it up for life as a poor missionary. Visions of poverty and deprivation dogged me as I wrestled against the call of God to full-time service. Obedience to the missionary calling meant severe parental opposition, loss of material security, a life of deprivation and hardship – so I thought. Then at a Christian youth meeting, I went forward to talk to an American woman, the wife of the missionary speaker. I looked at her and said, “I want you to pray for me. Can you please pray that God will stop calling me into full-time ministry because that is what He is doing now?” She prayed there and then with me that I will be surrendered and that I would heed God’s call. After the prayer, she smiled at me and told me that my hands are clenched – unless I open up my palms I would not be able to receive all the blessings that God has in store for me. She encouraged me not to be afraid to open my hands to God and to surrender all my hopes, dreams, and fears. Only then can He pour his abundant blessings so that your cup will overflow. I finally surrendered and yielded everything to God – my family, my security, my hopes and aspirations for the future. Since that momentous decision, I have experienced blessings upon blessings – everything I gave to Him I received more than a hundredfold in return. “If any man gives up father, mother, and land for my sake, He gives up nothing, for I will give him back a hundred fold.” God is such a gracious and benevolent provider. Indeed He does not owe us anything. Whatever we give to Him, He will take it and bless it and give us back more than a hundredfold in return. We cannot out-give God.

It is not just physical sustenance that He provides. He also gives us spiritual and emotional and sustenance when our burdens seem too heavy to bear. He cares about our wounds and pains. The good shepherd knows the condition of every one of His flock. The good shepherd is ever watchful over his flock. Jesus is the door - sheep can go in and out. “My sheep hear my voice…I know my own…” (John 10:26; v 3-5). “The gatekeeper opens the gate, and the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and lead them out to pasture ….”

There are two types of sheepfold. The first kind of sheepfold was that found in the countryside. It was a circle of rocks into which the sheep could be driven. There was no door, just an opening across which the shepherd would place his body. This is what Jesus meant when He said, “I am the door of the sheep.”

The other type of sheepfold is a room or enclosure with a door. Many shepherds would drive their flocks into this enclosure when they returned to the village at night and leave them in the care of a porter. In the morning, the shepherds would come to the fold and each would call his sheep by name. The sheep would respond to his call – they can recognize the voice of their shepherd, and the shepherd would then lead his own sheep out to pasture. This is what Jesus was referring to when He said he knows his sheep by name.

This indicates a very close and intimate knowledge that God has of each one of us. Psalm 139 “O Lord, you gave examined my heart and know everything abut me, you know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away. You chart the path ahead of me and tell where to stop and rest. every moment you know where I am. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You both precede and follow me, .such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know. Thou hast searched me and known me, thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up...”

As the sheep passes through the door, the shepherd examines the condition of each sheep. He holds his rod over the sheep, taking care to inspect the individual conditions of each one. Where they are counted and inspected by the shepherd. When the sheep came into the sheepfold, the shepherd inspected each one to see if there were scratches or fever. If so, he would rub olive oil on the wound to heal it, or for a fever, put oil on the sheep’s head and massage his neck while speaking softly to him to sooth his illness.

“Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Ps. 121:4). He knows everything about us. He numbers the hairs on our head. Therefore we can come before Him with all our concerns, fears, hurts and bruises. He cares. The psalmist says God already knows what we are going to say even – knows every thought we have. Therefore we can come before Him and pour our hearts to Him. This is a great comfort. We can be honest before Him – He knows our secret thoughts and intentions. We can pour our hearts before Him – He knows and He cares for each of us. We are not digits. When you go to Changi Prison, you will notice that they are look alike – they are dressed in the same way, have the same haircut – they have no identity – although they have a name each of them is known by a digit or number. But God knows each one of them by name. There are billions of people on planet earth but He who makes us knows each of us by name. Even the hair on our heads is numbered. Even the sparrow that fails, He knows and cares, what more we who are made in His image. We need to learn how to rest in Christ and to commit all our cares to Him.

Amidst the weariness and struggles, Jesus calls us: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt 11:28-30). God is in control and He will provide for us as to find this rest in Jesus. we must make time for Him. We are far too busy and caught up in the hustle bustle of city life. Like Martha, we are constantly fussing as we rush about taking care of the daily grind of things, and yet it is Mary who sat at His feet in His Presence that has chosen the good part. (Luke 10:38-42).

He makes me lie down in green pasture suggests rest and contentment (slide 9). Sheep don’t lie down easily as they are very timid creatures. Phillip Keller, himself a shepherd, in his book “The Lord is My Shepherd” identifies four conditions for sheep to lie down.

“He leads me besides quiet waters…” but the waters in the Judean desert are not the “quiet waters” of Psalm 23. The water of the Judean desert is drawn form cisterns, a few deep wells, and occasional spring. The nearby limestone mountains cannot absorb rainwater. The water runs into the desert, creating sudden and violent floods that fill the wadis—canyons that have been carved out by past floods (Slide 12). Anyone standing in the wadi when a flood comes will be swept away. Each winter, the road along the Dead Sea is washed out in several places by the force of the water. Israelis are often killed by these flash floods when they are caught hiking in these desert valleys. The normal description for water in the Judean Desert is far from “quiet’ or “still.” The Hebrew descriptions for water found in the desert convey the following concepts: Psalm 69:1-2 talks of “dangerous waters” and “the flood that engulfs me” Psalm 40:2 speaks of “roaring waters”.

Shortly after the flood, a wadi becomes dry again. Sometimes a bit of water from a previous flood will remain on the wadi floor, and these waters are attractive to the thirsty wilderness flocks. A wise shepherd knows that walking through a wadi can be dangerous. They know where to find springs of water that are not in dangerous places—“quiet waters” that will safely quench thirst.

There are numerous occasions in my life when I experience the protective power of God and the provision of God in times of great need and distress. One time I was at a university overseas attending a night class which ended at 10 pm. I was feeling quite distressed in class that particular evening – somehow the topic of God cropped up and the entire class including the professor were mocking the existence of God – clearly they were all atheists or non-believers . I was the only believer present. When the class ended, I trudged to the car-park. It was very dark and cold. I got into my car and tried to start the engine. To my great dismay, it could not be started. I tried and tried but the engine was completely dead. I rolled down the window pane and called out to the other car drivers in the car park for assistance but everyone was either in a hurry or didn’t not know how to help. I was getting more and more desperate. It was late and soon there was not a single person in the entire car park. And so there I was, alone and frightened, in the dark quiet car park. I did not dare to get out and walk to the library to look for help as it was a long and lonely way. I had heard stories of women being molested and attacked so I decided to stay put waiting and waiting for help to come. I prayed a desperate prayer: “O God, I believe in you. Tonight in the class I was the only one who believed that You exist. Would you not manifest Your existence to me and grant me the help that I need. Please send someone to come and help me.” As soon as I finished praying, a couple came into the car-park. I asked the man for help and told him I had a problem with my car – it just couldn’t get started at all. He said he was a mechanic and that he specialized in Dodge Aspen – that was the very car model I was driving! He opened the car bonnet and touched something there and within a few seconds, the engine started. He then instructed me to drive out and not to stop my car until I reached home otherwise the engine might die on me. Truly the Lord had sent his angel to help me in my hour of need.

“He restores my soul…” (Slide 13) The Hebrew word for “restoring” is from the root, lashuv, from which we get the words “turn, repentance, and return.” The shepherd has to be constantly on the alert to keep sheep from wandering and to keep them in the right path (Slide 14). The Judean Desert is easy to get lost in because the bare, wind-worn, undulating, chalk hills all look alike. Furthermore, one of the most remarkable things about the Judean Desert is that each hill is covered with hundreds of paths worn onto every hillside by the herds of sheep and goats and wild ibex. With so little rainfall, these paths never wash away. So, left alone, sheep have a myriad of options to take, each path possibly taking them to something better, or so they may think. Staying close to the shepherd assures the right path is taken. The flocks of sheep huddle close together and follow the shepherd by the sound of his staff hitting the stony path ahead, not always by sight. Therefore, they need to be attentive to the shepherd and stop when he stops. Otherwise, pushing ahead or wandering off could lead you and others headlong over a precipice to your death.

Like sheep, we have myriads of options and paths to take, many of which appear safe and interesting. The path charted by the shepherd seems too restrictive and boring. We find the commandments of God very restrictive with do’s and don’ts – a curb on our liberty. Temptations abound to make compromises. We want our freedom to enjoy the things that this world offers, and to gratify our flesh. The drift away from God is so subtle. When godly spiritual men suddenly fall into sin, people are stunned. They had no clue that this was going to happen. But actually the process of erosion has already taken place some time ago – it is just that it is so subtle that we do not notice foundation gave way. Many of us are like sheep - prone to wander and go astray. As the hymn writer wrote,

The shepherd uses the staff and the rod to help him do his job (Slide 15). This is what the psalmist means when he said “Thy staff and rod they comfort me”. The staff is used to guide the shepherd as they tracked the ground. With my staff, I crossed the Jordan.” (Gen 32:1). It can be used to rescue sheep that wander off on their own and fall into a crevice.

The Good Shepherd has to restrain us, discipline us with the rod if we persist in wandering from His commandments. Sometimes the disciplines of God seem very painful and harsh but they are for our protection and well being. There are times in my own life when I feel the hand of God heavy upon me. I have learned that God loves me and because He loves me, He will not allow me to trifle with sin. His discipline can be very grievous. “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and as a father the son he delights in.” Proverbs 3:11-12. “No discipline seems pleasant at the time but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it “ Heb 12:11.

It is amazing that God does not give up on us even when we give up on ourselves or everyone else gives up on us. Because of His own character of faithfulness, He will restore us from our backsliding. For His own name’s sake. Though we are faithless, He remains faithful. He will bring us to the path of righteousness. All of us need to turn from our backsliding ways, repent of our sin and rebellion, and return to the Lord. God wants to restore us from our wandering and backslidden state; to lead us in paths of righteousness. – to be reconnected with Him. I John 1: 9 tells us that “If we confess our sins, God is righteous; He will forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness.”

“I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd lay down his life for his sheep” (John 10:11). This speaks of sacrifices in order to save the sheep. Unlike the hirelings who flee when they see danger, the good shepherd will defend the lives of his sheep. God says, “I will look after My sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered’ (Eze 34;13). If one sheep out of 100 were missing, He would go and find the lost sheep. He seeks those who have strayed or are lost, crippled, and weak (Eze. 34:16). This speaks of God’s special, divine consideration to those with the greatest needs. Jesus gave three parables to bring home the tender yearning love of God the Father for the lost – the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost son. We are like sheep have gone astray. Jesus saw the lost condition of the crowd and He felt great compassion for them. He longed to draw them to Himself, to be the shepherd of their souls. If you think you are the ‘black’ sheep that nobody likes and you are unfavourably compared with siblings, you feel a failure, don’t be discouraged. God has a special heart for the destitute and the lost. He cares deeply about your condition and wants to carry you back safely into the fold.

“Even though’ I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall not fear any evil” (Slide 16). The valley experience challenges our faith in God. During life’s most difficult moments, God draws closer. It is easy enough to have faith in God when we are at the mountain top after a church camp, or when we experience successes and answered prayers, when things are moving smoothly. We are told that Satan went up to the presence of God and challenged Him about Job’s righteous life. God was so pleased with Job – he was a man of integrity; he feared God and has nothing to do with evil. Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, Job fears God, but not without good reason! You have always protected him and his home and his property from harm. You have made him prosperous in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But take away everything he has and he surely will curse you to your face.” (Job 1:9). His life became the focus of spiritual battle and he entered into the valley of deepest trials. He lost everything he had – his possessions, his family but he continued to trust God. Then he was afflicted with all kinds of physical suffering – he was abandoned by friends and only three friends tried to comfort him but that added to his anguish. Sometimes he is bewildered and confused, but ultimately his faith holds firm and he comes through his ordeal still trusting in God. “I know that my Redeemer lives” was his resolute affirmation of faith in God. (Slide 17)

Application: What are the valleys in your life right now? What sustains you through such times? It is the His presence “For you are with me” that will carry us through. For we know that all things work for good to those who love God and who are called according to His purpose.’ (Rom 8:28).

Tony Horsfall in his little book, “Shepherds Song” tells the story of a young boy, both deaf and dumb, and orphaned. He went to live with his grandfather, a sheep farmer in the mountains of Wales. His grandfather, a godly man, did his best to teach the young lad about God and often with signs and gestures shared Psalm 23 with him. Every time he did so, he emphasized the words “The Lord is my shepherd” by pointing to each finger on his left hand, and holding his fourth finger to stress the importance of the world “My”. Some years later, the boy was taking care of the family sheep up in the mountains when he was caught in a snowstorm and died. When the rescuers found his body, they noticed that he was grasping tightly the fourth finger of his left hand. They asked the grandfather what it meant. The grandfather replied, “It means that he died safely, for the Lord was Shepherd, and in his moment of need he was trusting in him.”

We are the sheep of his pasture – we will have a shepherd of our soul – who protects, provides, purifies, whose presence will always be with us throughout and beyond life. Our response is simply to trust and obey.

To summaries, the parable illustrates the deeply personal relationship that the Good Shepherd has with His sheep. He gives us wonderful assurances that we can anchor our hope: eternal security, abundant provisions, faithful restoration, and the comfort of His divine presence in life’s darkest vales. As the sheep of His pasture, we are to follow Him closely, to trust and obey each step that His rod and staff guide us along life’s journey till we reach the other shore.

The parable of the Good Shepherd not only instructs us about the nature of the relationship between Christ and His flock, but it also provides an example or standard for all the under-shepherds who are entrusted with His flock. All of us are under-shepherds in our role as Sunday school teachers, pastors, parents, and friends. As under shepherds of the “flocks” that God has put in our care, we are to emulate the Good Shepherd. Jesus provided the example in Himself. He is the great Shepherd of the sheep (I Peter 2:25, I Peter 5:4). He has appointed under-shepherds to care for his flock.

1. One of the foremost characteristic of the shepherd is faithfulness. He is faithful in his responsibilities, not only when the skies are fair, but when times are hard and danger threatens. We are stewards of God – stewards of the lives He has entrusted to us. “It is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.’ (I Cor 4:2). So we don’t quit when the going gets tough, when it seems so unrewarding at times, and the sacrifices so great. I was a Sunday school teacher for 3 years looking after a class of girls. I saw them through sec 2 to sec 4. They were not very attentive in class, nor very interested in the lessons that I had diligently prepared. There were times when I wondered if I was in the right ministry but I continued on despite occasional thoughts of leaving for a different pasture. I stuck on because they needed me – there was a dearth of Sunday school teachers and they had so many changes of teachers in one year when they were in Secondary One. And I am glad I did that. At the end of three years when I decided to move on, the Sunday school superintendent said to me: “The most important need for the girls was that there was someone to be there for them. They had so many changes of teachers in one year. They needed someone to provide stability. You have done that and it has laid a foundation for them to grow.” Just being with them whether they were enthusiastic to learn or not. For me it meant giving up time, energy, talents, with little evidence of spiritual gains. We are to be self-sacrificial and to give just as Christ gave Himself for the sheep.

Shepherd does not lack any thing: so we as the under shepherds should ensure that the sheep placed under our charge should not in want of good thing. We should be diligent in providing them spiritual food to nourish their spiritual lives; we should be available to give godly counsel to guide them in the paths of righteousness. Whether in families or in churches, we are to ensure that the flock has love and security, guidance and nourishment.

3. Next, we are to be patient with the sheep. Not all sheep are lovable; some are

Wayward and prone to wander, while others are stubborn and resistant to instruction. We are to be patient to reach out to them; understand and accept their uniqueness, guide and counsel them, admonish and even discipline them in a spirit of gentleness. It is not easy always.

4. We are also to provide a godly example. “We are to feed the flock of God, which is among you, taking the oversight of it, not buy constraint but willingly, not for filthy gain but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over them but being examples to the flock” (I Peter 5:1-4). Jesus provided the example for us when at the Passover feast, He got up from the meal, took a towel and wash basin, and began to wash the feet of His disciples. How can it be? They should be washing His feet. He underlined the lesson in an undeniable way. “If I then your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet/” that means more than water and a towel. For all of us under shepherds, it means caring, lifting burdens, standing with each other in difficulties.

When we fulfill our roles as under-shepherd, we leave behind a spiritual legacy just as Ms Gong, my primary four teacher who was also my Sunday school teacher, did. She is a very important person in the tender years of my life – she planted in my heart a deep love for God. I still remember the numerous interesting stories she shared during class. Amongst the stories she told, one phrase stuck with me: “And it came to pass”. She explained that all things, no matter how difficult, will come to pass, therefore we should not be too distressed. All things will come to pass eventually and it shall be well. This phrase stuck in my mind. Whenever I face great difficulties, I remind myself that it will come to pass. Another lesson I learned from her was contained in the story of the locusts. The story narrated how the years of locusts had eaten up the years of plenty. It was a lesson to remember our Creator in the days of your youth so that you won’t’ look back in regret at the years of opportunity that the locusts of carelessness and worldliness have eaten up. Ms Gong left behind a great spiritual legacy – she inspired much love and devotion for Christ from the stories she told, her love for us, and her example of faith and dedication to God.

We as under shepherds will stand before the Chief Shepherd to give an account for the charge He put in our care. When we are faithful, we will receive the unfading crown of glory: Above all, we will experience the unspeakable joy when we hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

Regardless of our roles, as sheep or under shepherds in God’s great pasture, we are all to follow the Chief Shepherd and keep close to Him. We must develop the disciplines of recognizing His voice, of spending time with Him, of cultivating a close and deep relationship with Him, so that we will be able to respond to life’s crisis and challenges with faith and hope in the Great Shepherd to bring us safely through.

I want to close with the story of Todd Beamer as told by Tony Horsfall: “It seemed like just another day for the Beamer family as husband Todd got ready to go the airport for a business trip. Saying goodbye to his wife, Lisa, he headed off to catch his plane, American Airlines Flight 83. The date? September 11^th 2001. The flight he took that day turned out to be one of those captured by hijackers. It was Todd, and other passengers on board, who overpowered them and caused the plane to crash before it could hit its target, possibly the White House.

In the last moments of his life Todd became an inspiration to the other frightened passengers. First he lad a small group in saying the Lord’s Prayer, and then in reciting Psalm 23 which he had learned as a boy. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” Then taking courage, he called the others to action to overpower the hijackers with the now famous words, Are you ready? Okay, Let’s roll.”

He had a deep and profound faith in the Good Shepherd –when the crisis came, he tapped into this reservoir of faith. The Shepherd was with him when he needed Him the most. The expression “Let’s roll” was one he always used with his children when they were going somewhere and it was time to move. We do not know what tomorrow holds, but let’s daily feed on God’s Word and allow it to nourish our souls. Let us store His Word in our hearts and be attentive to His word so that when time comes, we will be ready to roll.