"The King of love my Shepherd is, whose goodness faileth never; I nothing lack if I am His and He is mine forever.
"Perverse and foolish oft I strayed, but yet in love He sought me And on His shoulder gently laid and home rejoicing brought me."
If we were to choose adjectives to describe ourselves, words by which we want to be remembered—perhaps with an inscription in a high school yearbook or in a memorial service eulogy—we might select words such as kind, honest, helpful, or friendly. "Perverse and foolish" would not be at the top of the list. Yet with repentant honesty we must admit that all too often we behave perversely and foolishly with regard to the commands of God. Jesus our Good Shepherd leads us every day "in paths of righteousness for His Name's sake" (Psalm 23:3b). The Shepherd's righteous way can be a difficult path to walk. Following Jesus means that we must bear the cross as He did. We can expect suffering and persecution. Empowered by His forgiveness and by the Spirit of God, we deny ourselves, that is, we die to our sinful, self-centered ways.
As we follow, we sometimes step off those narrow paths. We are surrounded by the enticing sounds of the world around us and by the tempting calls of the devil and our own sinful desires—all calling us to leave the path. One of the most dangerous and deceptive steps away from the path is imagining that we are not really straying, or at least not as far as others. This is a step and a sin called pride. In sinful pride we wander, thinking we will be happier walking in our own ways instead of following in the Shepherd's footsteps.
When we wander, our Shepherd does not push us away or simply allow us to get lost. He does not ignore the wanderers in order to stay with those we imagine to be the "good sheep" that keep to the path. Jesus knows when we have strayed, and He comes looking for us. In love and grace He searches for us, calls us to repentance, and forgives our sinful wandering. He carries us back to His path as we rest on the same strong shoulder that once bore the heavy weight of the cross. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life to save us and, on the first Easter morning, He took up His life again. Our crucified and risen Shepherd rejoices to find His wandering sheep and brings us home to Himself, forgiving us and setting our feet once more on that narrow, righteous path. We set out again, following the Shepherd we love. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we stay tuned in to the blessed sound that we recognize in the Word of God. It is our Shepherd's voice.
WE PRAY: My Shepherd and King of love, help me to follow closely in Your footsteps. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, "The King of Love My Shepherd Is," which is number 709 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
1. How would you describe yourself? How would others describe you, do you think?
2. Is walking "in paths of righteousness for His Name's sake" possible on a daily basis? How so?
3. What kinds of things can we do to shield ourselves against the enticements of the world?
Today's Bible Readings: 2 Samuel 8-9 Psalms 60 John 2
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