Acts 20:28‭-‬30 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.  I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.

The work of a Shepherd or Pastor is not an easy one. It involves a lot. So the Amplified version elaborates 1Pet 5:2 as,

“Tend (nurture, guard, guide, and fold) the flock of God…”

To SHEPHERD means to TEND, which primarily means to FEED and RULE/KEEP. Meaning the Good Shepherd is to Feed, nourish, teach, nurture. And also Rule, govern, guide, protect/guard, discipline, provide for the flock of God in his care. So it’s a great blessing and privilege to have a true shepherd in your life who does these – and you should honor and respect them for that. And if you are also “Making Disciples” of Jesus you are to replicate these functions in their lives. It’s indeed a high calling, that’s why it is called ‘The Great Commission’.

Finding a true shepherd is a wonderful thing. No wonder the Bible warns us of savage and ferocious wolves who will distort the truth of God’s word in order to draw followers for their own gains. These are not God’s Shepherds at all – they are wolves. BEWARE OF THEM!

I pray for you, that may your eyes be opened to discern the true from the false in Jesus name, and may you be Engraced and Emboldened to Tend for those that God will bring to you. Amen!

              GRACEFUL MORNING