All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:6 (ESV)
When I left home for college, I wanted the freedom to do as I pleased, so I ran away from God for thirty-one years. However, my life didn’t work out as planned.
While I was running away from God, He was running after me.
Previously, I wrote about trusting the good shepherd as the secret of abundant life.
How do we trust the good shepherd?
Characteristics of sheep
In her book, All We Like Sheep1, Mary Glynn Peeples describes characteristics of sheep and why we are like them.
- Sheep need full-time supervision because they go astray and get into trouble.
- Sheep are not trainable. Did you ever see sheep performing in a circus?
- Sheep are defenseless and are easy prey. They cannot right themselves when on their backs and only the shepherd can help them.
- Sheep are led, not driven. They have a natural tendency to follow a leader. Sheep recognize the voice of the shepherd and respond to his call.
Three ways to trust the good shepherd
Choose to be led
Our key verse states, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6a ESV).
Instead of going our own way, choose to be led by the good shepherd.
After my cancer diagnosis, I realized how messed up my life was, so I stopped running away and turned back to God.
But I also realized surrendering to be led is not just a onetime thing; it’s a daily or even hourly endeavor. Just like sheep, we are hard to train! We need constant contact with our shepherd.
Realize trusting the good shepherd is the only way
Living a life without God and focused on self never works out. We are like sheep who get in trouble without the shepherd.
For example, we experience exhaustion and burnout. At the If Gathering 2023, John Mark Comer stated that denying the existence of God causes anxiety, depression, and neurosis. Our bodies and souls are weary and crave the rest promised by Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30.
Also, we are hopelessly lost without the good shepherd. He knows the only path to righteousness. David wrote, “He [the shepherd] leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3 ESV).
What is righteousness? The standard of right behavior God set out in His Word for us to follow. But we can’t do it alone.
We only achieve righteousness by choosing to follow Jesus. He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 ESV). Not a way, but the only way to eternal life.
Believe the good shepherd gave His life for His sheep
The last part of our key verse states, “and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6b ESV).
This verse refers to Jesus, our good shepherd, who died for everyone because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
God accepts us as righteous because Jesus laid down His life for our iniquity, meaning our offenses and sin against God.
Final words
Since I stopped running from God, is my life perfect? Am I happy all the time? No, unfortunately not. Despite my circumstances, I have a sense of perfect peace since I put my trust in the good shepherd. When I was in control of my life, it was chaos; with God in control, I know I am never alone.
I am joyful because I know God loves me so much despite my past mistakes; He sent His only son, Jesus, to die for me! I rest in His provision and care because I am His cherished daughter.
I am content because I know even if things are not good, God is good. He works everything out for my good. And I trust Him to do all of that and more!
Are you ready to stop running away from God and receive the gift of eternal life? Place your trust in the good shepherd, follow His path, and believe He gave His life for you.
Download this bookmark of Psalm 23, as a gift to you. Keep it nearby to remind you of how we trust our good shepherd.
Reference
- Peeples, Mary Glynn, and Sam Peeples. All we like sheep. Sheep Shoppe, 1987.
