“He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.” – Isaiah 40:11

Scripture reading: Isaiah 40:1-11

Jesus said, I am the good shepherd (John 10:11). As we prepare our hearts to remember the climax of His earthly ministry, it is good that we do so with this fact clearly in mind: Jesus is the Good Shepherd. We are His sheep. Far too often we are wandering sheep. “All we like sheep have gone astray,” declares Isaiah (Is. 53:6). We need the Good Shepherd to guide, lead and protect us. It is a humbling experience to admit that by nature we are poor, wandering sheep, but that is our spiritual reality. We must humbly admit that we are saved, not by our own righteousness, nor by our human abilities.

It is our Good Shepherd Who saves us and feeds us by His Word and Spirit. He Himself is our food, the very bread of life (John 6:55). To hungry souls the promise of our text is so sweet, as our Saviour promises to feed us. That promise is sure and we experience it in a deep, spiritual way every time we share in Holy Communion!

He gathers, carries and leads His sheep. We can depend on the Lord Jesus to care for us. What a blessing the sheep of the Good Shepherd enjoy! Day by day then, humble yourself, acknowledge that you are a sheep in need of a shepherd. By faith find that Shepherd, place your trust in Him and all that He accomplished for your salvation. Rejoice, Christian, to be a sheep of the Good Shepherd’s flock.

Suggestions for prayer

Ask the Spirit to work within you to humble your heart, so that you will find your place in the Lord’s flock as one of His sheep. Thank the Lord for feeding, gathering, carrying and leading you on through life.

Rev. Gregg V. Martin was ordained to the Gospel ministry in 1977. In his years of service, he pastored a total of five congregations in three Canadian provinces. He also served for more than seven years in Latin America as a missionary, providing leadership training in Reformed mission churches. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.