It’s easy to feel down and discouraged when you go through a difficult time. Sometimes we feel no one really knows us well or cares about our life. We feel lost as we wade through deep waters. We forget God knows our name and is not watching us from a distance.

This Sunday, our pastor spoke on a passage in Numbers that reminded us all that Jesus is a Good Shepherd that knows our name. Just like he counted the Israelites as they were ready to enter the Promise Land (they had giants to fight too), he knows our name and counts us as one of His.

Psalm 23 reminds us that he makes us lie down in green pastures and leads us besides still waters. A shepherd leads his sheep in life sustaining ways and gives them places to rest. And when we wander in a wilderness, the Good Shepherd tells us to stop losing heart and  ask for our inheritance. Ask and we have, seek and we will find.

It is interesting that God uses the metaphor of a Good Shepherd (Jesus) and us as sheep. Our pastor pointed out that sheep are highly relational and form lifelong partnerships. It takes trust for a sheep to follow a shepherd. Our Good Shepherd laid down his life for us. That makes trust easy.

And while sheep are not dumb, they get no where without a leader to keep them on mission and get them where they need to be. So when we feel discouraged and down, we need to be led by our Good Shepherd who cares for us with grace and mercy, who feeds us what we need and who keeps us on mission to possess the land of our inheritance.

Trust the Lord no matter what. Let Him lead you. He knows your name and counts you as His. Regardless of the difficulty you face, He promises to lead you safely home. Don’t fear, be refreshed and comforted by the Good Shepherd.

Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.