The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd

I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.

Ezekiel 34:26

IN WORD The Shepherd loves to bless. Most Christians don’t know that and approach Him with the intent to bribe Him with good behavior or twist His arm with whining. And while persistence and boldness in prayer are good attributes, they should never be implemented without a prior understanding of the nature of God: He is good, and He blesses us abundantly—without reservation.

Intellectually we know that, but that knowledge is rarely visible in the lives of God’s people. We crave more intimacy with Him and lament the separation we feel, never realizing that we feel it because we refuse to believe in His generosity. Deep down inside, we’re just sure that God would have us jump through certain hoops to obtain His blessings or overcome every hint of fallenness before we’re worthy. But those impressions are not from God; in fact, they’re kind of arrogant. They assume that the key variable in obtaining God’s favor is us. It isn’t. The key variable in receiving the goodness of God is the goodness of God.

IN DEED Do you live with the assumption that God is extravagantly generous, waiting to do something good for you, and delighting in your happiness? If not, it’s probably because you haven’t experienced His extravagance and delight like you want to. But God wants you to turn the equation around. You haven’t experienced that generosity because you haven’t assumed it—i.e., really believed in it. Those who approach the Shepherd as a reluctant giver will experience a reluctant giver. Those who approach Him as a blesser will see His blessings. According to your faith, that’s how it will be (Matthew 9:29).

That does not mean that faith will eliminate trials and pain from our lives. Sheep still have to go through a lot. It does, however, mean that we don’t have to live our entire lives without showers of blessing. The Shepherd who blesses us promises to make sure of that.

God’s gifts put man’s best dreams to shame.

—ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING