Shepherd Of God’s Flock
BRD REFLECTIONS:
(Sarah Khoo, PTM Children’s Ministry)
READ:
1 Peter 5 (NIV)
OBSERVE:
1 Peter 5 addresses the leaders and young people of the early church. They were faithful followers of Christ amid suffering and persecution during the Roman Empire. The elders were called to be the leaders and shepherds of God’s people. Peter urged them to be ready to lead and care for God’s people despite their suffering because of their faith in Christ. The elders were called to shepherd and lead by example. They mustn’t do it reluctantly but willingly, not out of greed or to get a position in the community of faith. Their motivation is their eagerness to serve God and not to lord over those that God had entrusted them. Their focus was to glorify Jesus and to receive ‘the crown of glory’ from The Lord God (1 Peter 5:1-3).
Humility is the posture and attitude that they must put on all the time (1 Peter 5:5). All believers must support one another’s faith so that the church would strengthen. Together the believers could resist the enemy’s efforts to destroy God’s people and His work in the world.
APPLY:
Thirty years ago, when I came to faith in Christ, I was blessed with the care and support of mature Christians in the church. They taught me to stand firm in my faith and to love God with my whole being. Through their life examples, I learned to stand firm in the face of temptation to fall away from my faith. Their prayers and encouragement strengthened my relationship with God. Their humility and dedication became a role model for me. Because of their faithfulness, I grew in my Christian life and committed myself to serve Christ faithfully.
Now, serving God in the Children’s Ministry allows me to shepherd and guide the young ones to be faithful disciples of Christ. The baton of shepherding has now passed on to me. I find it challenging to shepherd the young hearts to draw closer to God and stand firm on their faith, as the world is full of distractions and temptations. I need to stay humble and continue to learn from the Great Shepherd Himself. Hence, such humility allows me to be directed by the Holy Spirit and depend on God’s guidance to be His shepherd to the next generation of God’s flock.
My hope and prayer is for the young hearts to grow and be faithful followers of Christ. The baton of shepherding then will soon pass to them for the glory of God.
DO:
To enable me to serve as shepherd of the young in the church :
- Be humble and go to God to seek for His wisdom
- Submit to the authority that God has placed above me as I serve Him.
- Focus on seeking God’s glory and serve Him faithfully.
PRAY:
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for Your faithful servants who have served as shepherds of Your flock. I am grateful for their dedication and guidance. Help me to care for the young hearts with humility, compassion and strength. I pray that You grant me Your wisdom as this call to shepherd Your flock is passed down to me. May I be faithful to serve You and give glory to You. In Your name I pray, Amen.
