6 Beautiful Ways God Is Still Our Shepherd
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First-century Christians were more aware of the symbolism behind the Lord being their Shepherd. Tending sheep was an everyday occurrence for many of these Christians, and even if they did not directly work with a flock, they undoubtedly saw shepherds at work. They also were familiar with Old Testament stories about people like Moses and David who served as shepherds, guiding and protecting their flocks.
In contrast, for those of us in the twenty-first century western world, the idea of tending sheep is a foreign concept. We live in an age of grocery and food delivery, as well as a time when we instantly purchase items online and have them delivered within 24 hours. There is not much that we can compare in modern life to the work of a shepherd.
Yet, the image of God as the Shepherd of His people is prominent in Scripture. We find Him mentioned as the One who guides and searches for His sheep (Psalm 80:1; Ezekiel 34:11-12). And, of course, the famous Psalm 23 paints a vivid picture of the Lord leading His sheep beside green pastures and through the valley of the shadow of death.
Jesus evoked this Old Testament imagery when He stated, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). His statement identifies Himself as God while also giving a picture of His love. A good shepherd will not leave his flock or entrust the sheep to a stranger. He will protect them by his own power and ensure they arrive safely to and from the pasture.
Christians today might not see individuals driving their flocks through fields or towns. Neither will they fully grasp the intricate workings of the relationship between sheep and shepherd. But something that will never change, regardless of our culture and background, is that the Lord God is our loving Shepherd. It is a role He has held in the past, present, and will continue to have in the future.
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1. He Still Guides Us
In Scripture, we can trace the hand of God as He guided His people, commanding them and leading them to where they should go. He led Israel out of Egypt and guided them as a pillar of fire and cloud (Exodus 13:21-22). When they occupied the Promised Land, they had the visible representation of God’s presence through the tabernacle and later the temple. Jesus walked with the disciples, providing teachings that guided them as they witnessed about His death and resurrection. In turn, the disciples (or Apostles) raised up other leaders to shepherd the church.
It is not always easy, though, to discern or see God’s guidance today. We have no pillar of fire and smoke to guide us. Nor has Jesus yet returned to gather His flock. Too often, we can feel as if we are sheep wandering through an unknown land with only general principles to direct our path.
Yet even today, the Good Shepherd guides us. He promised that He would give us another Counselor or Comforter to be with us always: The Holy Spirit (John 14:16). By His inner workings in our lives, the Spirit of God directs us to walk in obedience to Christ –– not in loud or overt ways, but through His small nudges and reminders of truth (John 16:13).
Our Lord is still leading us, since we are His sheep. May we turn our attention to Him and watch for His guiding presence, for He is there if we are willing to look and listen.
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2. He Continues to Protect His Sheep
In the story of David and Goliath, a central aspect of David’s belief that he could fight the giant was that he had seen God’s faithfulness in the past. He had fought bears and lions as a young shepherd boy, and each time, the Lord had delivered the enemy of the flock into his hands. Since he witnessed this protection in the past, he knew that a Philistine who was mocking the living God was no match for the true Defender of Israel (1 Samuel 17:34-37).
We might associate shepherding with pastoral imagery of rolling hills and blue skies. However, being a shepherd was no easy task, as David’s experience shows. Those who tended sheep had to protect the flock from predators using the simple tools they had with them –– specifically the shepherd’s staff and rod.
Like those shepherds of old, God protects us from our enemy, the devil and his demons. Satan seeks to devour us as a lion would a defenseless sheep, and he delights when we stumble (1 Peter 5:8). Yet the Lord Jesus defeated the powers of darkness through His death and resurrection (Colossians 2:15). He intercedes on our behalf whenever the accuser arises to point a finger at our past sins (Romans 8:34).
We can be assured of God’s faithfulness in protecting us, just as He was with David in the battle against Goliath. As 2 Thessalonians 3:3 reminds us: “[T]he Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”
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3. He Knows Those Who Belong to Him
Shepherds develop a close familiarity with the sheep under their care. This mutual relationship is so strong that the animals will follow the call of their leader and respond to his voice; they can distinguish between their shepherd’s call and that of a stranger.
Jesus said the same thing about His sheep: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Those who belong to the Lord can discern what He has spoken as compared to counterfeit voices. They can do so because they delight in listening to His voice by reading Scripture and thus can recognize a false teaching when they hear (or see) it (see 2 Thessalonians 2:15 and 2 Timothy 1:13-14).
Not only do believers follow the Lord, whom they deeply know and love, but they are known by Him. Such a distinction is important since Jesus said that many will call on His name in the last day, claiming to have done great things in His name, but He will turn them away with the words: “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:21-23).
For those who have trusted in Jesus for salvation, that will not be His response; He knows those who belong to Him. Every hair on our head and number of our days, every tear that falls from our eyes and each hidden desire of our heart –– He knows them all. We might wrestle with complicated human relationships, feeling as if no one really understands us, but our Shepherd knows us better than anyone ever could (1 Corinthians 13:12). This is true of each disciple, whether the saints who have gone before or those of us who follow Him today.
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4. He Is Still Our Savior
Central to the image of the Good Shepherd in the New Testament is the extent of His love for the flock. He protects them from the enemy, but He also goes much further. Jesus said that He would lay down His life for the sheep (John 10:15). This act of sacrifice was not done by compulsion but willingly (John 10:18). God’s love is most clearly shown in Jesus dying for us (Romans 5:8).
Such love was not only for the people of the first century. He died for every person, past and present, so that all who place faith in Him will receive eternal life (John 10:28). It is not as if the Lord has stopped being our Good Shepherd, for He is the Savior of all, who gave Himself as a sacrifice to purchase a people for Himself (Titus 2:14).
We can sing, as Israel did, the song of thanksgiving and declare our membership in God’s flock: “we are his people, the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 100:3). Gentile believers are the other sheepfold that Christ mentioned, so that whether we are a Jew or Gentile follower, we have the same Shepherd and Savior (see John 10:16 and Ephesians 2:13-18). May we praise Him and remind each other of His everlasting love.
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5. He Will Continue to Walk with Us
Before Jesus ascended, He gave the disciples a command and a promise. Their mission was to go make disciples of all nations, a dauting task for this group of common men (Matthew 28:18-20). But they would not be alone. Already the Lord had promised that His Spirit would indwell and guide them. He then promised His enduring presence with them. As He said on the mountain: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
Notice the emphasis on the word “always.” There is never a time when He is not with us. Times of trouble and sorrow do not deter Him, for He is not a fair-weather friend. Christ was with the Apostles as the church rapidly grew, as well as when they faced persecution for being His witnesses. At times, they may have felt alone, but they were never truly left by themselves. As the Apostle Paul said: “At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength” (2 Timothy 4:16-17).
Jesus’ promise was not only for those early disciples. Every believer throughout time can be assured that the Lord is with them, empowering them to carry out His commands. We never have to walk alone in this pilgrimage called life, for our Good Shepherd is with us and He will continue to lead us. In His company, we do not have to be afraid (Psalm 23:4).
Whenever we are frightened, lonely, or uncertain of God’s care for us, we can remember our Lord’s promise. He said that He would always be with us –– and truly, nothing can separate us from His love and presence (see Romans 8:35-39).
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6. God Our Shepherd Will Reign Forever
In addition to being a past and present reality, God’s role as our Shepherd will continue in the future. John’s vision of heaven, as recorded in the book of Revelation, included seeing the Lamb of God at the center of the throne. This Lamb who was slain for the sins of the world is described as the Shepherd of His people who will “lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes’” (Revelation 7:17, quoting from Isaiah 49:10 and 25:8). Throughout eternity, we will be lovingly guided by Jesus, our Shepherd.
Other passages also speak of Jesus’ role as Shepherd-King in the future kingdom. Jeremiah’s prophecy of the Righteous Branch included a denunciation of the wicked shepherds (or kings) of Israel who had led the people astray (Jeremiah 23:1-2). God pronounced that a new Leader would arise to lead them with wisdom, and who would bring them into the land safely (Jeremiah 23:5-6). This leader, or righteous Branch from the root of Jesse, is Jesus –– the Savior of the world (Isaiah 11:1-5). He will rule as King and Shepherd over all in His coming Kingdom.
We might not be as familiar with the work and art of shepherding like people were in Scripture, but that does not negate the fact that God continues to lead us as the Shepherd of our souls. We can trust that He is with us as we navigate life and that His work does not end when we die, for in eternity the Good Shepherd will reign.
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