Strayed Away

 

 

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the LORD laid on him
    the sins of us all.

 

—Isaiah 53:6 (NLT)

 

 

 

Loving LORD,

Like a shepherd lead me, along Your paths today,

and teach me by Your Spirit’s voice, to never stray away. 

 

I need You to lead me today.  Because just like a sheep, if left on my own, I will wander from the path of Your will for me—and follow a path marked by my own self-centered desires. 

 

Sometimes, I do it somehow blindly unaware of my wandering—as if I were sleepwalking—failing to wake up to the error of my way, until I am lost and a long way from home.

 

Sometimes, I fall back into my old ways of stubborn and willful rebellion—fully aware, but foolishly wanting what I want, more than wanting what You want for me.

 

And yet, always, even in my sin, You call me to return to You—having laid all my sin upon Jesus, so that I might stand in the peace and protection of Your Presence once again.

 

Help me to keep my eyes fixed on You, and to value Your Presence as I should, so I will hear Your instruction and choose to follow You in obedience—as You lead me to every good thing that You have prepared for me.  

Like a shepherd lead me, along Your paths today,

and teach me by Your Spirit’s voice, to never stray away.  

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The LORD, Our Shepherd

 

 

He will feed his flock like a shepherd.

    He will carry the lambs in his arms,

holding them close to his heart.

    He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.

 

—Isaiah 40:11 (NLT)

 

 

O LORD, My Shepherd,

 

Thank You for the intimate and loving relationship with You that is ours to enjoy, when we trust You to be our Shepherd—to look after us in every way, just as a good shepherd watches over and cares for his sheep.

 

Help us always to trust You—knowing You will see to it that Your flock is fed in every way, with food and water for our bodies and Your Word and Your Spirit for our souls, so that we will not lack any good thing.

 

Help us to see how You gather in Your lambs—those most dependent on You for protection and provision—with Your mighty, yet gentle and loving arms, and how You carry them close to Your heart, never letting them slip from Your grasp.

 

Help us to believe that You gently and compassionately lead those who have young ones—carefully showing them the way they should go and guiding them and empowering them for every step of their journey—as they put their trust in Your strength, wisdom and love.

 

Thank You for the intimate and loving relationship with You that is ours to enjoy, when we trust You to be our Shepherd—to look after us in every way, just as a good shepherd watches over and cares for his sheep.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

All of Us, Like Sheep

 

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the LORD laid on him
    the sins of us all.

 

—Isaiah 53:6 (NLT)

 

Loving LORD,

Like a shepherd lead me, along Your paths today,

and teach me by Your Spirit’s voice, to never stray away. 

 

 

I need You to lead me today.  Because just like a sheep, if left on my own, I will wander from the path of Your will for me—and follow a path marked by my own self-centered desires. 

 

Sometimes, I do it somehow blindly unaware of my wandering—as if I were sleepwalking—failing to wake up to the error of my way, until I am lost and a long way from home.

 

Sometimes, I fall back into my old ways of stubborn and willful rebellion—fully aware, but foolishly wanting what I want, more than wanting what You want for me.

 

And yet, always, even in my sin, You call me to return to You—having laid all of my sin upon Jesus, so that I might stand in the peace and protection of Your Presence once again.

 

Help me to keep my eyes fixed on You, and to value Your Presence as I should, so I will hear Your instruction and choose to follow You in obedience—as You lead me to every good thing that You have prepared for me.  

Like a shepherd lead me, along Your paths today,

and teach me by Your Spirit’s voice, to never stray away.  

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Come With Haste and Go and Tell!

 

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

 

—Luke 2:8-17 (KJV)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Just like the shepherds on that night long ago, may I come with haste to find my Savior waiting for me, then go and tell the story of His great love for me.

 

Thank you for choosing to reveal this good news to shepherds, to show me that Jesus is a King for every man—so I would know that He was sent for me.

 

Thank You that, just like You did for the shepherds, You meet me where I am—and surround me with Your Glory.

 

Thank You that I don’t have to fear—because what You have to tell me is always for my good.

 

Thank You that the “good tidings of great joy” which You brought that night continue in the good news You bring to me today.

 

Thank You that when I seek Jesus today—through prayer and through Your Word—He shows Himself to me and I learn to experience for myself His great love for me.

 

Thank You that I, too, am invited to join with the angels and sing praises to You for all the wondrous things You have done for me.

 

Help me not only to continue to seek Jesus for myself, but also to tell the story of my experience of His love for me—so that others might come to know Him, too.

Just like the shepherds on that night long ago, may I come with haste to find my Savior waiting for me, then go and tell the story of His great love for me.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

He Will Feed His Flock

 

He will feed his flock like a shepherd.

    He will carry the lambs in his arms,

holding them close to his heart.

    He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.

 

—Isaiah 40:11 (NLT)

 

O LORD, My Shepherd,

 

Thank You for the intimate and loving relationship with You that is ours to enjoy, when we trust You to be our Shepherd—to look after us in every way, just as a good shepherd watches over and cares for his sheep.

 

Help us always to trust You—knowing You will see to it that Your flock is fed in every way, with food and water for our bodies and Your Word and Your Spirit for our souls, so that we will not lack any good thing.

 

Help us to see how You gather in Your lambs—those most dependent on You for protection and provision—with Your mighty, yet gentle and loving arms, and how You carry them close to Your heart, never letting them slip from Your grasp.

 

Help us to believe that You gently and compassionately lead those who have young ones—carefully showing them the way they should go and guiding them and empowering them for every step of their journey—as they put their trust in Your strength, wisdom and love.

 

Thank You for the intimate and loving relationship with You that is ours to enjoy, when we trust You to be our Shepherd—to look after us in every way, just as a good shepherd watches over and cares for his sheep.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Wanting What You Want for Me

 

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the LORD laid on him
    the sins of us all.

 

—Isaiah 53:6 (NLT)

 

Loving LORD,

Like a shepherd lead me, along Your paths today,

and teach me by Your Spirit’s voice, to never stray away.  

 

I need You to lead me today.  Because just like a sheep, if left on my own, I will wander from the path of Your will for me—and follow a path marked by my own self-centered desires. 

 

Sometimes, I do it somehow blindly unaware of my wandering—as if I were sleepwalking—failing to wake up to the error of my way, until I am lost and a long way from home.

 

Sometimes, I fall back into my old ways of stubborn and willful rebellion—fully aware, but foolishly wanting what I want, more than wanting what You want for me.

 

And yet, always, even in my sin, You call me to return to You—having laid all of my sin upon Jesus, so that I might stand in the peace and protection of Your Presence once again.

 

Help me to keep my eyes fixed on You, and to value Your Presence as I should, so I will hear Your instruction and choose to follow You in obedience—as You lead me to every good thing that You have prepared for me.  

Like a shepherd lead me, along Your paths today,

and teach me by Your Spirit’s voice, to never stray away.  

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Like a Shepherd

 

He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
    He will carry the lambs in his arms,
holding them close to his heart.
    He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.

—Isaiah 40:11 (NLT)

O LORD, My Shepherd,

Thank You for the intimate and loving relationship with You that is ours to enjoy, when we trust You to be our Shepherd—to look after us in every way, just as a good shepherd watches over and cares for his sheep.

Help us always to trust You—knowing You will see to it that Your flock is fed in every way, with food and water for our bodies and Your Word and Your Spirit for our souls, so that we will not lack any good thing.

Help us to see how You gather in Your lambs—those most dependent on You for protection and provision—with Your mighty, yet gentle and loving arms, and how You carry them close to Your heart, never letting them slip from Your grasp.

Help us to believe that You gently and compassionately lead those who have young ones—carefully showing them the way they should go and guiding them and empowering them for every step of their journey—as they put their trust in Your strength, wisdom and love.

Thank You for the intimate and loving relationship with You that is ours to enjoy, when we trust You to be our Shepherd—to look after us in every way, just as a good shepherd watches over and cares for his sheep.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Let Me Never Stray Away

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the LORD laid on him
    the sins of us all.

—Isaiah 53:6 (NLT)

Loving LORD,

Like a shepherd lead me, along Your paths today,

and teach me by Your Spirit’s voice, to never stray away. 

I need You to lead me today.  Because just like a sheep, if left on my own, I will wander from the path of Your will for me—and follow a path marked by my own self-centered desires.

Sometimes, I do it somehow blindly unaware of my wandering—as if I were sleepwalking—failing to wake up to the error of my way, until I am lost and a long way from home.

Sometimes, I fall back into my old ways of stubborn and willful rebellion—fully aware, but foolishly wanting what I want more than wanting what You want for me.

And yet, always, even in my sin, You call me to return to You—having laid all of my sin upon Jesus, so that I might stand in the peace and protection of Your Presence once again.

Help me to keep my eyes fixed on You, and to value Your Presence as I should, so I will hear Your instruction and choose to follow You in obedience—as You lead me to every good thing that You have prepared for me. 

Like a shepherd lead me, along Your paths today,

and teach me by Your Spirit’s voice, to never stray away. 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.