Sheep Without a Shepherd

Numbers 27:16-17

“May the LORD, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community 17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the LORD’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

In the verses preceding today’s passage (verses 12-14), Moses is instructed by God to go up to the mountain overlooking the promised land and see the land God had given to the Israelites. He could look, but he could not enter in due to his earlier disobedience, and after seeing it, God said he too “would be gathered to your people as your brother Aaron was.”

Moses did not argue, nor did He complain. Instead, his first concern was for the people he had been leading the past forty years in the wilderness. He knew how very important it was for them to have a leader chosen by God Himself, someone who would be anointed with the same kind of spirit as Moses. He did not want them to be as sheep without a shepherd.

In your own sphere of influence among your family, work environment, or wherever else you spend the majority of your time, is God calling you to be a leader, an influencer, or a shepherd? If not, are you assisting the ones in these roles?

In these very challenging times, it is more important than ever for the body of Christ to come together to protect, feed, nurture and lead the flock. How will you help?

TODAY’S CHALLENGE:

Ask the Father how you can help shepherd His sheep. Like Peter, will you commit to Jesus to feed His lambs, and tend His sheep? Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you for service.

Dive Deeper: Study Numbers 27; Ezekiel 34; John 10:1-30; John 21:15-19.