Article February 6, 2012 Issue

Follow your Shepherd

By Nancy Burtis

When growing up, I frequently visited my grandmother, and we would often read from the Bible. Psalm 23 was one of our favorites. She would tell me that God guides and protects us just as a shepherd does his sheep. When a shepherd leads his sheep to green pastures and still waters, it is like God guiding us to all that is good and peaceful. Then Grandmother would put her arms around me and tell me that I could always feel loved and protected in God’s care. He is always there to guide us even in difficult situations.

The lessons I learned about God’s shepherding from my grandmother have helped me many times. One of them occurred a number of years ago when I found myself living alone after my children were grown and married. I didn’t know what to do and became very depressed. Then one day I recalled a verse from Psalms that says: “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth” (145:18). I knew I could count on God to hear my prayer.

Then I remembered an experience I had while on vacation, which involved a shepherd and sheep. One bright, sunny morning I was visiting a restored colonial village in the eastern United States. As I walked along a path in the village, I noticed a white picket fence with a flock of sheep inside. Some visitors were trying to coax the sheep over to the fence, and I hurried to join them. But to my amazement the sheep were paying no attention. Midst all the commotion they were quietly resting. Then all of a sudden they jumped up and ran eagerly toward the fence. Down the path came a shepherd whistling a little tune. The sheep heard her whistle and responded quickly. She opened the gate and gently led them to the green in the middle of the village. All the noise and confusion going on did not keep the sheep from hearing and following their shepherd.