Digging Deeper – Created by God

Avatar photo Steve Roach on August 5, 2024


“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good
things he planned for us long ago.”

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

 

CREATED BY GOD

 

Yesterday, Mike started our Playmakers series by showing us how to get into the game and use our gifts to serve one another at NorthStar. This week in our time with the Lord, we will look at some foundational truths that we all need to have settled in our minds and hearts as we consider how God wants to use us to serve in His church. Then, we will finish the week by looking at spiritual gifts and God’s design for them in the church.

Have you ever asked yourself, “Why am I here on Earth?” This is one of the most important questions you can ask. Without a purpose, life becomes motion without meaning; trivial, petty, pointless, and chasing after the latest “must have” material thing or “must do” activity. The famous author Mark Twain said the two most important days in your life are “The day you are born, and the day you find out why.”

We all want to make a difference. We want to feel like our lives matter. So, where do we begin? Understanding our purpose starts with our Creator. God determined our purpose in the world way before we were born. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” The Apostle Paul goes on to say, “For by him (Christ) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16, ESV).

Let this truth sink into your soul: You are not here by accident but because God wanted you to be here. He didn’t create us to blend into the background of humanity and live insignificant lives. Instead, He created each of us with great purpose.

Only our Creator has the right to determine our purpose. Let’s say Aunt Matilda has just baked a cake. The nutrition scientists can tell you the number of calories and the cake’s nutritional value; the biochemists can tell you the structure of the proteins, fats, etc.; the chemists can tell you the elements involved and their bonding; the physicists can tell you the cake’s fundamental particles; the mathematicians can give you a set of elegant equations to describe the behavior of those particles. In other words, they can give you an exhaustive description of the cake. Suppose I now ask the assembled group of experts: “Why was the cake made?” The world’s nutrition scientists, biochemists, chemists, physicists, and mathematicians will not be able to answer the question. The only way we will ever get the answer is if Aunt Matilda reveals it to us. Our universe has a Maker, just like Aunt Matilda’s cake, and only the Maker can tell us why we’re here. And He has gifted us uniquely to serve within His church to serve His purposes. We’ll take a closer look at that later this week.

 

Steve Roach serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Maturity at NorthStar Church. He and his wife, Amy, live in Acworth and have three girls, Olivia, Sydney, and Hayley and one son, Colton.  He enjoys watching sports and spending time with his family.

Digging Deeper – A Question for the Ages

Avatar photo C.A. Phillips on August 2, 2024


The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

Luke 17:5-6 (ESV)

 

A QUESTION FOR THE AGES

 

As I read the scripture above, I sit in silence, wrestling with this exchange. The Twelve have been with Jesus for a couple of years. They’ve witnessed more miracles than can be recorded; they’ve had a front-row seat in a Master Class in Ministry 101 from the greatest Instructor ever to walk the earth. A few even saw Jesus in His purest form as He was transfigured before them on the mountain. And yet, it seems true faith eludes them.

So, I ask myself, “If the guys who spent three years with Jesus are imploring Him to increase their faith, what hope is there for me?”

At the same time, another thought occurs to me: if these guys were that close to Jesus and “didn’t get it,” there may be hope for me yet!

All believers struggle with faith. ALL of us. And I truly believe that we all want to increase our faith! We want to believe – just like Abraham did! So, the question is this: How Can I Increase My Faith?

There’s no easy answer, but here is some food for thought:

  • It Begins with the Gospel
    “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 (ESV)
    We first gain faith through hearing the Good News about Jesus, and that message is most clearly found in the Word of God.

  • Faith (Belief) Alone is Incomplete – It Must Involve Action
    “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James 2:14-17 (ESV)

  • Adversity is a Blessing – Our Faith Must Be Tested
    “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4 (NLT)

  • Faith’s Greatest Partner is Prayer
    “Never stop praying.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT)
    “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.” Philippians 4:6 (NLT)
    First, prayer is critical because Jesus modeled it. He often withdrew to pray and got up very early in the morning to spend time alone with the Father. We can only grow in our relationship with the Lord by spending time with Him.

  • Faith Grows in Community with Others
    “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25 (NLT)
    We are not designed to live in isolation. Your faith grows when you dig into God’s word with other believers. Remember, as Rick Warren opens The Purpose-Driven Life: It’s not about you! Your faith can build others up, and vice versa.

 

C.A. Phillips serves as Communications Pastor and Director of Men’s Groups at NorthStar Church. He is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, and he loves the Dawgs and the Atlanta Braves. He has two (grown) boys and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Amy, and their German Shepherd, Abby.

Digging Deeper – Leading a Legacy of Faith

Avatar photo C.A. Phillips on August 1, 2024


2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. 3 Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. 4 I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. 5 I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions.”

Genesis 26:2-5 (NLT)

 

LEADING A LEGACY OF FAITH

 

We have explored much of Abraham’s life these past several weeks, and we can agree that his absolute confidence in the Lord’s sovereignty is what separated him as the man whose faith God credited as righteousness. He very well could have been the inspiration for Journey’s hit, “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

Abraham’s faith – great as it was – could have ended when he perished at the ripe old age of 175. However, it lived on (and on and on and on… a la Steve Perry). How so? Because he lived – and believed – in such a way that it profoundly influenced his son, Isaac. He passed his faith baton, and Isaac continued to run with it in hand.

Isaac had seen God come through plenty on his own, no doubt. After all, he was at least a teenager when God spared him from death by his father’s hand on the mountain, providing the ram for the sacrifice. He also received God’s blessing through his father’s efforts in securing a bride for him – Rebekah, who was not only beautiful but would bear him two sons of his own after being barren for the first 20 years of their marriage.

Incredibly – by God’s providence – Abraham’s legacy lives on even today. Obviously, Abraham could not have seen thousands of years into the future. But, as we discussed earlier this week, he had absolute confidence in the covenant God had made with him – that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. And it’s the same promise God gave Isaac – because “Abraham listened… and obeyed.”

Let’s personalize this for a moment. If you are a parent, how are you doing in this area? Are you living your life with purpose and intentionality in a way that is attractive to your kids? Ask yourself two questions: (1) If I was to leave this earth today, what would my legacy be? (2) What legacy do I hope to leave?

If there’s a gap between those two responses, you have some work ahead of you. The good news is that you still have time while you are breathing to change the course of history.

As Stephen Covey shared in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, begin with the end in mind. It’s often by looking ahead to our preferred future – or our kids’ futures – that we glean wisdom and live our best life.

 

C.A. Phillips serves as Communications Pastor and Director of Men’s Groups at NorthStar Church. He is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, and he loves the Dawgs and the Atlanta Braves. He has two (grown) boys and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Amy, and their German Shepherd, Abby.

Digging Deeper – Tested Faith Leads to Stronger Faith

Avatar photo C.A. Phillips on July 31, 2024

17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18 even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” 19 Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

Hebrews 11:17-19 (NLT)

 

TESTED FAITH LEADS TO STRONGER FAITH

 

We looked yesterday at the chinks in Abram’s armor that led to some detours for him and Sarai as they awaited God’s promised son. But we learned that God’s ultimate goal for Abraham was to build his faith muscles by showing Himself trustworthy. And it’s His primary goal for us as well. Faith trumps everything else in God’s economy.

So, if faith is paramount, how do we attain it?

The author of Hebrews defined faith. In fact, it’s the only place we can find a definition of faith in Scripture:

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

Read that a few times. Marinate on it. Assurance and conviction – these are not arbitrary words. Here’s what the footnote says in my study Bible:

“The author indicates that biblical faith is not vague hope grounded in imaginary, wishful thinking. Instead, faith is a settled confidence that something in the future – something that is not yet seen but has been promised by God – will actually come to pass because God will bring it about.”

I love that explanation. But it doesn’t make faith any easier just to know what it means. The only thing that makes it easier is for God to test it. Repeatedly.

God has a track record. Sure, we can read all about it and see how He delivered time and again in the lives of some of the greatest men and women in Scripture: David, Daniel, Esther, Nehemiah, Joseph, and Paul. But we don’t develop faith by reading about it. My faith only develops by living it out, particularly amid challenging circumstances.

God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice Isaac. Yes, the same (and only) son he and Sarah waited 25 years for! Yet, Abraham was obedient. How could he possibly have known that God would spare Isaac? Because over the course of more than a century, Abraham had seen God come through in countless ways. He didn’t know exactly how it would play out, but he knew God wasn’t a liar. And, if God had promised that Abraham’s descendants would be more numerous than the stars, Isaac would live.

Faith isn’t knowing exactly how things are going to work out. It’s not seeing the finished product. It’s trusting the One who holds you in the palm of His hand. It begins with trusting Him with your heart. It grows as we are refined through adversity, leaning on Him when we can’t see what lies ahead.

 

C.A. Phillips serves as Communications Pastor and Director of Men’s Groups at NorthStar Church. He is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, and he loves the Dawgs and the Atlanta Braves. He has two (grown) boys and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Amy, and their German Shepherd, Abby.

Digging Deeper – Faith of the Flawed

Avatar photo C.A. Phillips on July 30, 2024

So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal.

Genesis 16:2 (NLT)

 

FAITH OF THE FLAWED

 

We’ve reached the end of Abraham’s story – and boy, did he live a full 175 years! When surveying the incredible ways God worked in and through him, it seems so strange looking back on the misstep he and Sarai made in taking God’s promise into their own hands. Don’t you think Abram was elated that his story didn’t end with the foolish decision they made in attempting to short-cut God’s plan?

We have the benefit of knowing how God came through time after time when we read the stories of His faithfulness. We know Abram will become Abraham and will have a son at the age of 100. But at the age of 75, when God made this covenant with him, Abram had no idea he’d have to wait 25 years for the birth of Isaac! He had to learn to trust, just like we do!

And while Abraham and Sarah had to deal with the ramifications of their sin (and those consequences are still felt today), it’s comforting to know that despite this egregious error in judgment, God still delivered, and He also still used Abraham. In fact, Abraham is regarded as the ultimate Hero of the Faith! Not only do we see this unfold throughout his story outlined in Genesis, but also throughout the New Testament, as the Apostle Paul and the writer of Hebrews emphasize his belief over his actions!

“Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this, he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.” Romans 4:20-22 (NLT)

Abraham did some outlandish things that give us pause. He was deceitful at times, and he tried to bargain with God by using God’s goodness “against Him” to spare lives. But God, being God, saw past this. Instead of hammering Abraham about his mistakes, the Lord commends him for his faith – his willingness to go “all in” on the promises to come – most of which he would never see for himself!

Just like Abraham, you and I are flawed. Sin does that. We make some really poor decisions, even some catastrophic ones. But, also like Abraham, we have the opportunity to put our faith in the One who holds everything in His hands! In the end, we are not given eternal life based on what we did right or did wrong. It’s based on one thing: whether we have accepted Jesus as God’s Son and believe He died and rose again to give us new life!

We’ll never have perfect faith. That’s why we must place our faith in the Perfect One!

C.A. Phillips serves as Communications Pastor and Director of Men’s Groups at NorthStar Church. He is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, and he loves the Dawgs and the Atlanta Braves. He has two (grown) boys and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Amy, and their German Shepherd, Abby.

Digging Deeper – Love Obeys

Avatar photo C.A. Phillips on July 29, 2024

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.

Hebrews 11:8 (NLT)

 

LOVE OBEYS

 

Moms and dads out there know this well: parenting is tough! So much of our time as parents in those early years is spent being “the bad guy.” In fact, if we’re doing our job well, our kids won’t be fooled into thinking we are their friends as they grow up.

My wise friend and former co-worker, Eddie Bishop, shared the key to being a great parent many years ago. He said, “I told my kids when they were growing up that I was not their friend. Instead, I wanted to parent in such a way that I’d want to be their friend later, when they were adults.”

Good parents understand the painful and arduous process of laying the necessary groundwork for kids to grow and develop into respectful, God-honoring young men and women. And the most important quality – the one moms and dads emphasize above all others – is obedience. At the end of the day, parents want kids to do as they are asked (or told).

We, as believers, take that cue from Jesus, who stated plainly on many occasions where he stands on this topic:

“Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them… All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me.” John 14:21, 23-24 (NLT)

What does obedience demonstrate? Love. Not belief. Not intentions. Not even “being nice.” Obedience trumps everything. But which commandments is Jesus referring to? Sure, you can point to the Covenant handed down through Moses to God’s people (the Ten Commandments); but Jesus raises the bar further and makes it personal when talking to his 12 closest friends:

“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” John 15:12 (NLT)

Jesus was obedient to the point of death on the cross. Why? His love for God the Father, and his love for his friends (and for you and me). Jesus said these are the two greatest commandments!

Obedience isn’t easy. It requires faith and trust, which can only be developed through a relationship. If you’re finding obedience is not central to your walk with the Lord, my prayer for you is that you’ll make some time to spend with Him today to have a real conversation. Lay it all at His feet. The more time you spend with Him, the more you’ll love Him. And your obedience will follow!

 

C.A. Phillips serves as Communications Pastor and Director of Men’s Groups at NorthStar Church. He is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, and he loves the Dawgs and the Atlanta Braves. He has two (grown) boys and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Amy, and their German Shepherd, Abby.

Digging Deeper: Posture of Obedience

Avatar photo Bridget Turner on July 26, 2024

 

“Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT)

 

POSTURE OF OBEDIENCE

 

My small group just finished a study on the book of Numbers, where the Israelites constantly complain and bring their issues to Moses. Each time, Moses falls on his face and seeks God’s guidance and direction (see Numbers 14, 16, and 27). Bible teacher Jackie Hill Perry talked about this on social media recently. She pondered Moses’ consistent restraint to not respond first by asking, “Have you ever wondered how our responses to things would change if we just prayed quicker? We might pray eventually, but not immediately. How would that change the way we show up in the circumstance?” Perry adds, “I think it would give us a level of compassion, grace, and wisdom that a delayed prayer would not.”

We see this same posture in the servant found in Genesis 24. He asks God for very specific things to ensure he knows who Isaac’s wife will be. When God answers those prayers by bringing Rebekah to the well, verse 26 says, “The man bowed low and worshiped the Lord.” The posture of Moses and the servant is telling of their heart for God. Certainly, they would have thoughts and advice on the needs, but they bow in humility and surrender to seek God’s purpose and plan.

Asking others to pray for us is another posture of prayer. The vulnerability it requires may feel awkward, and it might be difficult to share our needs with others. However, it is very encouraging when you know someone else is praying specifically for you. We have an amazing online Prayer Wall at NorthStar Church, and our team would be honored to pray with you.

Here is how the process works:

  • Leave your request on our Prayer Wall at www.northstarchurch.org/prayer.
  • The team will be praying over the requests daily.
  • You will get an email every time someone prays for your request.
  • You can also pray for other requests on the page and send those folks an email too.

As we wrap up this week seeking God’s guidance, may we pray first, believe His promises, and trust His providence to lead us in the way that glorifies Him.

 

Bridget Turner serves as the Director of Women’s Groups at NorthStar Church. She and her husband, Steve, live in Powder Springs and have two young adult children, Hannah and Joshua. She enjoys watching football, traveling and reading.

 

Digging Deeper: Trusting God’s Providence

Avatar photo Bridget Turner on July 25, 2024

 

15 Before he had finished praying, he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah. 16 Rebekah was very beautiful and old enough to be married, but she was still a virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came up again. 17 Running over to her, the servant said, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.”

18 “Yes, my lord,” she answered, “have a drink.” And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and gave him a drink. 19 When she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels, too, until they have had enough to drink.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw water for all his camels.

Genesis 24:15-20 (NLT)

 

TRUSTING GOD’S PROVIDENCE

 

Notable pastor Charles H. Spurgeon said, “God’s providence is always on time! You and I make appointments and miss them by half an hour. But God has never missed an appointment yet. God is never early, though we often wish he were. But he is never late, no, not by one tick of the clock.” God’s providence is His divine hand in our lives. He lovingly guides and transacts all that happens to accomplish His purposes and fulfill His kingdom, and we see it throughout this story of Isaac and Rebekah.

 

Genesis 24:15 tells us that before the servant finished praying, Rebekah was coming to the well. The servant prayed that the daughters (plural) of the men would be coming to draw water, but God sends Rebekah alone. Then just as the servant prays, she gives him a drink of water and offers to water his camels—his ten camels! That may seem like an insignificant detail, but a search on Google says, “A camel can drink up to 30 gallons of water in less than 15 minutes.” That is a lot of extra work—quite the interruption to what would have been a routine chore for Rebekah. The servant silently watches, not interfering or trying to manipulate the situation, but waits patiently for God’s confirmation.

 

We also see this contemplative patience in Isaac at the end of our passage. The impact of his mother’s death was great and held more weight than just his personal grief. No doubt he understood the covenant God made with his father, Abraham—that his offspring would number the stars. Yet he is not married, and his father is very old. Instead of pursuing his own plan to keep the covenant, we find Isaac walking and meditating in the fields when he sees the servant returning. Once the servant tells him the story and who Rebekah is, he immediately takes her as his wife. Verse 68 wraps up the passage, saying, “Isaac loved her, and he was comforted after his mother’s death.”

 

Notably, no one involved in this story is forced to take part in it. Abraham asks the servant to go find a wife for Isaac. The servant asks Rebekah for a drink. Laban invites the servant to their home, and they ask Rebekah if she will go with him. When we trust in the providence of God and His work on our behalf, we can respond to His guidance with certainty. What can you do today to deepen your trust in who God is and confidently obey His direction?

 

Bridget Turner serves as the Director of Women’s Groups at NorthStar Church. She and her husband, Steve, live in Powder Springs and have two young adult children, Hannah and Joshua. She enjoys watching football, traveling and reading.

 

Moving from Useless to Useful

Kevin Burrell on July 24, 2024

 

“Formerly Onesimus was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me. I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.”

Philemon 1:11-12

 

MOVING FROM USELESS TO USEFUL

 

Two seminary students in New Orleans stopped at a local grocery store one evening while traveling. One of the seminary students was Don Wilton. While in the store, they noticed a young, needy couple with a baby dressed only in a diaper. The Spirit of God moved in the hearts of the two seminary students in a special way to open their wallets and give the young family all the money they had. The total was more than $200. With a gentle voice, Don spoke to the frightened man and said, “My friend, you don’t know who I am. However, I want you to know that my friend and I want to show you in a practical way how much God loves you. Because of what Jesus has done in our lives, we want to give you this small gift from the two of us.”

The man tearfully received the money. Don Wilton thought he would never see the man again. However, nearly a decade later, Dr. Wilton was teaching at the seminary. One of the new students recognized Dr. Wilton’s distinctive South African voice. It was the man from the grocery store! He told Dr. Wilton that their young family was desperate that night. So desperate, in fact, that they had driven from their home in Alabama to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge in New Orleans. They planned to take their baby with them but decided to feed her first, so she would at least die with a full stomach. That’s why they stopped at the store. However, they were deeply moved and encouraged by the kind words and financial gift. That one act of kindness set the man and his wife on a path to salvation in Jesus Christ and a call to full-time vocational ministry. That night, the man’s life was transformed from being “Useless to Useful.”

God’s providential hand saves lives. Onesimus was spiritually lost! He was the fugitive slave of his master, Philemon. Onesimus had robbed Philemon and fled to Rome, a large city where he could easily hide—or so he thought! However, providentially, Onesimus encountered Paul in a Roman prison where the apostle was in chains. Paul led Onesimus to faith in Jesus Christ, and his life was forever impacted and transformed from being “Useless to Useful.”

Listen closely: How about you? Have you ever felt useless? Have you ever had a sense that you have no real purpose or usefulness in life? If you have, you’re not alone. The story of Onesimus is a classic picture of one who tries running from a good and gracious God but instead runs right into His loving arms—just like the man in the grocery store. Through salvation, the fugitive sinner found grace, forgiveness, and freedom that are only found in a ‘right relationship’ with God, through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Be encouraged. Wherever you are in life right now, God’s eye is on you! He knows your name. He knows your need, and He will use ‘whatever’ and ‘whoever’ to intersect your life right where you are. A genuine encounter with the living God will forever change your perspective, your relationships, and your future.

It will transform you from “Useless to Useful.”

Remember:

God has a plan. His plan is far greater than yours. He is writing your story. Don’t steal His pen!

Love God.  Love People.  Live Sent.

Be Worth Being,

 

Kevin

Kevin Burrell has worked in professional baseball as both a player and MLB scout for the past 43 years, and currently serves as an area scouting supervisor. Kevin was drafted in the 1st round of the 1981 free agent amateur draft (25th selection overall), and played ten years of professional baseball with four different organizations. He and his wife, Valerie, live in Sharpsburg, Ga.

Digging Deeper: The Good Shepherd

Avatar photo Bridget Turner on July 24, 2024

 

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.

John 10:14-15 (NLT)

 

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

 

My husband and I were spending some time on the lake recently and saw a momma duck and six little ducklings swimming along the shore in a straight line. Suddenly, the momma began to quack loudly and slowed down. In just a few seconds, we saw two more little ducklings (seven and eight) paddling to the back of the line. Abruptly, the momma stopped moving and began to quack louder again. The eight ducklings all slammed into a pile, and from across the cove, we saw another little duckling, number nine! It was trying so hard to move quickly that its little wings were carrying it over the water one second, and then it was tumbling the next, all while heading straight to its momma. Number nine finally made it, and the momma immediately turned around and began swimming back along the shore as each duckling lined up behind her. It was such a fascinating scene to watch.

Ironically, there are some interesting facts about ducks that remind me of our relationship with God. First, ducklings automatically imprint an image of their momma and siblings on their brains after being hatched. That is how they know who to follow. Secondly, they follow in a line behind the mother on land so that she can remove any obstacles in their path, and on water, she creates a wave that passes through the line, allowing the ducklings to move easily and with little effort. That is why the momma kept calling out to the ducklings to get in line. It is also why it seemed so very hard for the last one to get to her.

In John 10, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So, I sacrifice my life for the sheep” (vs. 14-15). He goes on to say, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (vs. 27). Our Good Shepherd longs to lead us. I pray that, like the ducklings, we will imprint Him on our hearts and minds, knowing that as we do, we can trust Him completely and our paths will be made clearer.

 

Bridget Turner serves as the Director of Women’s Groups at NorthStar Church. She and her husband, Steve, live in Powder Springs and have two young adult children, Hannah and Joshua. She enjoys watching football, traveling and reading.