For Want Of A Shepherd

For Want of a Shepherd

When our pastor of a dozen years left for a new assignment, my church began searching for God’s leader for us. For the first time in my life, I sat on something called a “pastoral search committee” and was struck with the enormity of our task. Each of us believed that God already had our new shepherd in sight, in mind. We just had to listen, follow, and find him.

The second time Israel went in search of a king, God led them to a shepherd. Their first king, Saul, was a placeholder in God’s providence, but he looked the part—even if he failed to fill the role as hoped. Though Saul was the king from central casting, he was deeply flawed. His human flaws alone needn’t have sunk him, but his fatal flaw was his failure to follow God. He knew how to lead the parade. He just didn’t know how to love the flock and listen to their God.

Our committee proceeded through the necessary denominational steps, talked with one another, engaged our church family, prayed, and began to move forward. At one of our first meetings, we shared with one another what had led us to our church—and without fail, each of us told a story of connection that began with our former shepherd. We told stories of guidance, wisdom, nurture, and presence. The gifts of the shepherd.

Israel’s second king tended sheep. God whispered David’s name in old Samuel’s ear, just like he had whispered Saul’s. One could argue that David was a more flawed man than his predecessor—but shepherd-boy-made-king David knew how to follow. And when he failed to do so, his heart broke over his mistakes. Like every good shepherd, he knew the way home, and even when he wandered, he never lost sight of true north. His heart was fixed on it.

Kings and pastors come and go. Their legacies are fleeting for the most part and seldom self-determined. But good shepherds—well, their sheep remember them and know their voice, and follow them in love and gratitude.

I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father.

John 10:14-15, MSG