I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep. John 10:14.

I will be going down this morning to be with my sister to help her and as I began to pray after reading Scripture and my devotionals and as I took my first sip of coffee, I couldn’t help but wish that God was with me right now having coffee too! And I saw/felt in my heart my sister’s kitchen table and her and me and Jesus sitting together talking and laughing. I wish I could put to words the joy I experienced in that moment.

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5.

God is leading us to Him and to a closer relationship with Him, our Shepherd. In the very midst of the anger, hostility and confusion of this world we can draw closer to God and let His love permeate our hearts and minds and give us His Peace. In the midst of the confusion of religion and churches dwindling and congregations left adrift we can know our Shepherd will never leave us. He is gathering us to Him in a closer walk of faith and it is good!

When the world seeks to divide, remember. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by the one Spirit. Ephesians 2:13-18.

God’s love awakens us to life with Him…Father, Son, Spirit. We don’t have to solve the problems of this world – He already has. We live in the now with Him guiding us and in the not yet when He will return to bring everyone to Him. It’s exciting to be with Him now! For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in his love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10. We were created by God and are shepherded through this maze of life. He’s here. Always. Take His hand and let Him walk with you and you will never be alone. In your walk with Him beside you, you will know joy in His love, comfort in His presence, excitement when a Scripture you have read many times comes to life and then, joy of joy, you will share that excitement with Him! Our Good Shepherd will guide you faithfully to love that heals every hurt and you will know His Love that awakens you to the sure promise of Good with Him! Trust Him!