My Call

[apb229]

God fully intends to use the shepherd image to shape the identity of his ministers. (p35)

I don’t think I had ever thought of myself as a shepherd. When I did think about my calling, I only thought about being a good preacher. Lately, I’ve noticed the difference my pastoral identity makes in how I treat the people. Because I have focused on preaching, I have not had a compassionate heart towards them. I’ve been angry at them because they are not enthusiastic about prayer; they don’t want to work in or out side of the church. Had I stopped to think of them as sheep, I would have remembered my call. The morning I got a fuller understanding of my call, the Lord said to me, “If you love me, feed my sheep.� I should continue to feed them with the Word of God as a preacher. But, as a shepherd, my compassion is demonstrated when I pray for them.

[Oleander#1]

Most of us at some time or another wonder if we are being called of God. How can we know, can we go by our feelings. After reading about Jamie, I am convinced that God does use our experiences to prepare us for ministry. In fact, we all can insert our names in the message Jamie received: "...this is my plan for your life: to rescue my sheep, one at a time" (p. 36).

As I reflect on my context, I now see the hand of God preparing me, shaping me, for pastoral leadership as role I had not expected nor sort after. Recently, I found out that a shepherd is a noun and a verb. It tells who we are and what we do. To truly fulfill our role as shepherds, we have to intentially get to know the sheep entrusted in our care
(1 Peter 5:2-4).

Shepherding requires a variety of competencies clothed in compassionate heart for individual sheep (p. 36). And like Jamie, an expression of our love, may mean getting into the muck, in the struggle with them - in order to help them to shores of safety.

Father, help us (help me) be more compassionate, more attentive and responsive to the crys of your sheep as you responded to my crys for help!.