Be Still and Know Daily Bible Devotion

Osad

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  September 27th - James 3:17-18 27.09.2026 2min

  James 3:17-18 The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. Many churches observe that they have very few people in their 20s and 30s. Whenever I’ve asked people in that age group what they are looking for, one theme dominates: authenticity. They are looking for Christians and churches which ring true because they practise what they preach. James was on exactly the same page and was ruthless in addressing those who say the right words but live a phoney life. What he longed for was truly wise people. Living wisely is attractive in every way. The wisdom comes directly from God, but it has very down-to-earth implications. James draws particular attention to the fact that wise people love peace and go out of their way to make it. The word for peace that James uses here is built on the Hebrew word shalom. Shalom means peace, but much more than merely an absence of conflict and tension. It means the presence of God who brings life and renewal to every part of our lives. He wants us to know His peace in our families, our work, our leisure, our churches and our communities – everywhere. And when God fills us with His peace, He commissions us to be peacemakers, which will result in an amazing harvest of righteousness – everything that is best. Who wouldn’t want that? Question In what situation could you be a peacemaker today? Prayer Loving God, You are the source of all true peace. Give me a longing to be a peacemaker today and the wisdom and strength to be nothing less. Amen
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  September 26th - James 3:3-5 26.09.2026 2min

  James 3:3-5 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue is incredibly powerful. I recall the story of a young man who had shared some gossip about the local clergyman. Having heard about the rumours, the clergyman, with great gentleness and wisdom, took the young man to the top of the church tower. Once there, he handed him a feather pillow and asked him to rip it open. The feathers floated all over the village and some of them, lifted by the air currents, headed off into the far distance. The clergyman then invited the young man to put the feathers back into the pillow. The young man protested that this was impossible, and the clergyman pointed out that was exactly the same with the rumours he had been spreading. Once our words have been spoken, they have a life of their own. There is no way they can be taken back. Harsh and badly chosen words can wound people for years to come. But well-chosen words can bring life, encouragement and joy for years to come. It is a reminder that we need to be careful whenever we open our mouths. Question Who will you be able to encourage today? Prayer Loving God, help me to speak words today that will bring life, peace and joy wherever they go. Amen
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  September 25th - James 2:15-17 25.09.2026 2min

  James 2:15-17 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. You’ve probably noticed that Christians use a lot of words! Preaching, singing, praying and fellowship all involve oceans of words, and that’s fine – as long as those words also translate into action. You can preach the finest sermon, sing the most beautiful worship song, pray the most articulate prayer and enjoy the warmest fellowship, but if godly actions don’t result, it is all a dangerous waste of time. Don’t you love James? He doesn’t ever beat around the bush, instead going straight for the jugular every time. He wants to see every Christian busily involved in turning their fine words into action. He is appalled at the thought that someone who claims to love God could see a Christian brother or sister in need and do nothing about it. It should never happen. There is much poverty in our own society and around the world. It is good to pray for people and wish them well, but we must also take action. Whatever our gifts, we are all able to do something, and if we are serious about following Jesus, we must find what that something is. Question How will you put your faith into action today? Prayer Gracious Lord, forgive me for the times when I have failed to turn my faith into action. Help me to reach out with love to the poor people in my own community. Amen.
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  September 24th - James 2:1 24.09.2026 2min

  James 2:1 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favouritism. Do you have any favourites? Or do you look at other people in exactly the same way whatever their age, education, wealth, beauty, race or religion, irrespective of whether you know them or not? The first question suddenly got more difficult, didn’t it? We would all be keen to claim that we don’t have favourites, but James points out to his readers that favouritism very easily creeps into our thinking. James describes an agonising situation that could occur in a local church. An obviously wealthy person comes to a service and is welcomed generously and given a good seat. He is followed by a scruffy man, whose poverty is plain for all to see, who is told rudely to sit down or find a place on the floor. In his typically blunt way, James declares boldly that this should not happen. The main reason why favouritism shouldn’t happen is that God doesn’t do it. God welcomes everyone whoever they are, and we are called to do the same. On the face it, this sounds very reasonable and straightforward, but it is in fact very difficult to do because we all have preferences and we all get on with some people better than others. We all have work to do to ensure that our churches reflect God’s heart and throw their arms open to every kind of person, whoever they are. Question What would you do if you saw favouritism taking place in your church? Prayer Lord, forgive me if I have allowed favouritism to creep into my thinking. Help me to welcome everyone in the way that You do. Amen
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  September 23rd - James 1:23-24 23.09.2026 2min

  James 1:23-24 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like I love the way James writes, but I’m not sure he would make easy company. He is so incredibly blunt! Here he makes the obvious but powerful point that there would be no use in looking in a mirror if it didn’t cause you to do something as a result. If you learn that your hair looks a complete mess, action is required! Reading the Bible is not like reading any other book. Other books might be entertaining, interesting or informative, but they will rarely change our lives. The Bible is one of the principal ways in which God has chosen to speak to us, so if we merely read the Bible as a beautiful work of literature, we have missed the point. In Psalm 1:3, the writer speaks of the result of meditating regularly on God’s word. He says that those who do this are “like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers”. By reflecting deeply on the Bible, we allow God’s wisdom to enter into our ways of thinking and acting. Every part of our lives cries out for God’s wisdom, whether we are looking at our employment, relationships, possessions, leisure or future. God has something to say to us and longs for us to listen. Question What actions are you going to take as a result of reading the Bible today? Prayer Lord, help me to listen more carefully to the Bible and to allow its words to shape my life. Amen
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  September 22nd - James 1:5 22.09.2026 2min

  James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. Life constantly throws challenges at us. How should I be spending my time and money? Should I move to a different job? How can I resolve the dispute that I’ve got with my neighbour? Should I tell my colleague that he’s annoying me? How should I go about telling my daughter that I think she’s seeing the wrong people? And 1,000 other questions! The Bible focuses a lot of attention on the subject of wisdom in both the Old and the New Testaments. Wisdom is very different from knowledge. You can have all the knowledge in the world but it will do you no good at all if you are not wise. Here, James points to God as the source of wisdom and encourages his readers to understand that God loves sharing His wisdom with us. We learn a lot about wisdom in the book of Proverbs. Solomon speaks of wisdom as a woman who has built her house with seven pillars. For him, the fundamental truth was that “fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). Writing about 1,000 years later, James agrees with Solomon. Wisdom comes from God. That doesn’t mean we will immediately become wise when we become Christians. Far from it! But it does mean we have a personal relationship with the One who is the source of wisdom, together with an assurance that He can’t wait to share it with us. Question What do you need wisdom about today? Prayer Lord, please help me to seek Your wisdom with greater determination. Amen
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  September 21st - James 1:2-3 21.09.2026 2min

  James 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Having problems, trials and difficulties hardly sounds like the best way to create joy – let alone pure joy! So what is James talking about? He’s taking his readers to the heart of the Christian faith, which turns everything upside down. James is not saying that when we face difficulties it’s a bundle of fun. He is speaking to people who knew what it was to suffer for their faith, and he wants them to know that when we place our difficulties in God’s hands, He produces something incredibly exciting. Something which lasts. Something which takes us closer to the heart of God, and that always produces joy. I’m not suggesting you should now go out and tell your friends who are suffering at the moment that they need to burst into joyful song and perform cartwheels in celebration. That would be ridiculous and totally insensitive, so don’t do it! But you can encourage them because God is at work, and as they share their tough times with Him, He will bless them and strengthen them and give them that perseverance which we all need in order to live effective and fruitful lives. Joy is the inevitable and amazing result of placing our lives in God’s loving hands. Question In what ways have you personally experienced joy in times of difficulty, and how could you pass on that encouragement to other people? Prayer Lord Jesus, thank you for the good news that You are with me in every difficulty that I face. Thank you for Your gift of joy even in the toughest times. Amen
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  September 20th - Psalm 137:3-4 20.09.2026 2min

  Psalm 137:3-4 Our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land? This is an agonising psalm. The people are in exile far from their homes. Sitting by the rivers of Babylon, they were about 1,000 miles from their beloved Jerusalem. In their misery, they couldn’t bring themselves to make music, so they hung up their harps on the branches of poplar trees. However, the local people insisted that they wanted to hear their happy songs. This reminds me of many visits I’ve made around the world where people, especially children, gather round and ask for a song. But the exiles could think of nothing worse. In despair they cried out: “how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?” The pain and awkwardness of living in exile is the experience of every Christian. We are here on earth on a very temporary basis. As the apostle Paul put it: “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). God wants us to enjoy our lives to the full and give ourselves completely to life on this earth, but we must always remember that our true home is elsewhere. It is very easy to understand the despair and sadness of exiles, but it is possible to sing the Lord’s songs in a hostile environment. Christians have proved for centuries that it can be done. Hard as our circumstances may be at times, there is always much to sing about. Question To what extent do you feel like an exile? Prayer Loving God, help me to learn what it means to be a citizen of heaven. Amen
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  September 19th - Psalm 136:1-3 19.09.2026 2min

  Psalm 136:1-3 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. Those are just the first three verses of this psalm. It has 26 verses in all, and they all end with the refrain “His love endures forever.” You have to feel that the psalmist is trying to make a point! During the psalm, he points to the wonder of God’s creation and the way He had helped the people of Israel through their turbulent history, illustrating the consistent love of God for His people. As a foster carer I learned a great deal about attachment. In order to be secure and develop in a healthy way, every child needs to have a firm attachment to a parent or carer. If that attachment is disturbed and unreliable, there can be serious consequences for the young person which will often continue throughout their life. This psalm is all about attachment. God promises to love His people and to do so consistently forever. The psalmist celebrates the fact that this had been the experience of the people of Israel through the centuries. They could, therefore, look to the future with confidence, knowing that God would continue to love His people and provide for them. This can be our own experience if we live close to God. Just like the psalmist, we can live our lives celebrating God’s consistent love for us. Question How firm is your attachment to God? Prayer Lord God, I thank you that You love me completely and give me the strength to love others day by day. Amen
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  September 18th - Psalm 133:1-2 18.09.2026 2min

  Psalm 133:1-2 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It’s always inspiring to see unity at work. Whatever the organisation, it is encouraging to see a group of people working effectively and happily together. Whether it’s a football team, a school, business, family or church, it is a blessing to see everyone working together in harmony. The thought of anointing oil being poured over a person sounds quite sticky and messy to me, but it’s clearly intended as a picture of generous blessing. As the oil falls down, everyone can smell the beautiful fragrance and share in the joy of unity. Whatever way you look at it, unity is something to be celebrated. The beauty of unity should inspire us all and encourage us to do two things. Firstly, we need to receive the unity that God longs to give us and which we discover as we live our lives more closely to Him. Then, secondly, we need to put in the hard work of looking after that precious gift. The apostle Paul wrote: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Day by day, we need to look for ways of promoting unity, through our prayers, love, encouragement and kindness. It’s hard work, but the results are beautiful and inspiring for all to see. Question What can you do to promote unity in your church and family? Prayer Loving God, thank you for the gift of unity. Help me to go out of my way to maintain and strengthen unity today. Amen
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  September 17th - Psalm 132:3-5 17.09.2026 3min

  Psalm 132:3-5 [David vowed:] “I will not enter my house or go to my bed, I will allow no sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.” When David made Jerusalem the capital of Israel, it was a major political event. However, for him it was far more than a political moment. David saw the city as a spiritual centre for the nation. This would be the place where people would come to worship, so the first need was to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. When this happened, David was so exuberantly joyful that he famously danced before the Lord with all his might. Relocating the ark was the first step towards the building of the temple. This didn’t happen during David’s lifetime, but he went to great lengths to ensure that all the resources were brought together so his son Solomon could oversee the building of the temple. David was totally committed to the temple project because of his devotion to the Lord. Towards the end of his reign, David organised phenomenal quantities of metal and wood to be brought together for the temple construction. He himself contributed 102 tonnes of gold and 238 tonnes of silver. The value of this in today’s money would be well over a billion pounds! We won’t be invited to build a temple, but we need to learn from David’s single-minded devotion to God. Serving God faithfully needs to be our priority and our all-consuming passion. Question What do you learn from David’s devotion to God? Prayer Lord God, help me to focus more of my energies on serving You day by day. Amen
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  September 16th - Psalm 131:1-2 16.09.2026 2min

  Psalm 131:1-2 My heart is not proud, LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. CH Spurgeon, the great Victorian Baptist preacher, commented that this is “one of the shortest psalms to read but one of the longest to learn”. Learning to be humble is so tough that anyone who claims to have achieved it has a very long way to go! Humility is a wonderful and exciting quality in a person because the truly humble person knows where they stand before God. They recognise His greatness and power and understand that they are privileged to be His servant. They don’t exaggerate their own importance and are eager to see everything that is best in those around them. I don’t believe King David was suggesting that the humble person avoids difficult issues. Far from it, the humble person is more likely to take on the big challenges. It is the arrogant person who falls flat on their face when they take on great challenges in their own strength and fail. David says that he has become like a weaned child. At the time, children were weaned at about the age of three. It’s as if David was saying that he was like a toddler in his relationship with God. He wasn’t a baby any longer, but he was still continually and humbly dependent on God. And that’s the life God wants for each one of us. Question From whom have you learned most about humility? Prayer Loving God, teach me what it means to be humble and to live like a weaned child. Amen
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  September 15th - Psalm 130:3-4 15.09.2026 2min

  Psalm 130:3-4 If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. One day in 1738, John Wesley reluctantly attended a Christian meeting In Aldersgate Street, London. He was feeling thoroughly depressed, but during the meeting someone read from Martin Luther’s Preface to the letter of St Paul to the Romans and Wesley felt that his heart was “strangely warmed”. He saw this as the moment when he truly trusted in Christ alone. What is less well known is that, later that same day, Wesley went to St Paul’s Cathedral where he was deeply moved by this particular psalm. It perfectly expressed his experience of salvation through the forgiveness of his sins. The psalmist speaks of the completeness of God’s forgiveness. He doesn’t keep a record of our sins. They are wiped out. When someone has done you wrong, the hardest part is often to forget what has happened, but that’s what God does. He chooses to erase our sins completely from His memory. The psalmist knew that his life was totally distorted by sin. He couldn’t think of standing in God’s presence. But now the door was open to a new life in which he could confidently stand before God and serve Him. This message of forgiveness comes into sharpest focus in the New Testament because it was precisely why Jesus died upon the cross. Through Jesus taking the full weight of our sin upon Himself, He is able to offer us new life. Question How do you respond to the fact that God is willing to forgive and forget all your sins? Prayer Loving God, thank you for Your willingness to set me free from my sins. Amen
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  September 14th - Acts 28:30-31 14.09.2026 2min

  Acts 28:30-31 For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ – with all boldness and without hindrance! Paul’s journey to Rome was an amazing adventure. It was long and difficult, and during it, he and his companions survived a shipwreck. We would love to know far more details but now, in these final verses of Acts, we find Paul settled into a house in Rome. We are informed that he was guarded by a soldier, so he was being kept under what we would normally call house arrest. However, he was clearly given considerable freedom and was able to continue his ministry. There was no keeping Paul down! The book of Acts began with a small, frightened and confused group of Jesus followers waiting in Jerusalem. Jesus gave them instructions to take the good news to the ends of the earth, which seemed impossible at the time. The 28 chapters of this amazing book tell us how it became a reality. Now, at last, we find Paul in the great city of Rome, at the heart of the Roman empire. This should be a great encouragement to us all. There were many times of enormous difficulty and discouragement along the way, but God was at work and His word was fulfilled. As we face our own struggles and problems, we can be confident that God’s Holy Spirit will strengthen us and direct us. Question What encouragement do you take personally from the book of Acts? Prayer Lord God, in my weakness fill me with the power and wisdom of Your Holy Spirit today. Amen
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  September 13th - Acts 24:24-25 13.09.2026 2min

  Acts 24:24-25 Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” Here we meet Paul on the Mediterranean coast in Caesarea, the regional centre of Roman authority. After the plot to kill Paul in Jerusalem, the apostle was brought before Governor Felix. What I love about our verses today is that they are a beautiful illustration of the fact that, whatever his circumstances, Paul just kept witnessing. You couldn’t stop him! One moment he was happy to share his testimony with an angry crowd and the next we find him sitting down with the most powerful man in the land and his wife, telling them the good news. Felix didn’t have a great record. He was Governor of Judaea for eight years and had a reputation for cruelty and a love of bribes. It is said that he was hoping to get a bribe from Paul, so frequently asked to speak with the apostle. We have no idea what impact Paul’s testimony had on Felix and his wife, but that isn’t the issue. What is significant is that Paul seized his opportunity. We must leave with God the outcome of our witnessing. What matters is that we are continually seeking opportunities to speak of who Jesus is and what He has done for us. Question Will you pray for an opportunity to share your faith today? Prayer Lord God, thank you for every opportunity that You give me for sharing the good news about Jesus. Amen
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  September 12th - Acts 23:11 12.09.2026 2min

  Acts 23:11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” Paul was going through an incredibly difficult time. His arrival in Jerusalem had sparked a riot and the Roman authorities struggled to know what to do with him. They didn’t know how to handle religious disputes, so they tried to hand the matter over to the Jewish council. However, when Paul appeared before them, the meeting soon descended into chaos. The Roman commander who was watching the proceedings thought that Paul was in danger of being torn apart, so he ordered his soldiers to take him back into protective custody. By this time, they had discovered that Paul was a Roman citizen, which meant they had to be very careful in how they treated him. In the midst of this confusing and dangerous situation, God spoke to Paul confirming that his witness would continue and would even take him to Rome itself. Paul could have no idea how that word was going to be fulfilled, but in that moment, he didn’t need to know. All he needed was the encouragement that he was doing God’s will, and the knowledge God would be with him. I would love to tell you that your future is going to be problem-free, but God doesn’t promise us that. What He does promise is that He will be with us and that He has vital work for us to do. That should be a massive encouragement for us and should enable us to face the future with confidence and peace. Question Do you look to the future with confidence? Prayer Loving Father, thank you that my future is completely secure in Your hands. Amen
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  September 11th - Acts 22:1-2 11.09.2026 2min

  Acts 22:1-2 [Paul said:] “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defence.” When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Paul faced intense hostility when he reached Jerusalem. People had heard reports of his ministry among the Gentiles, and he was accused of telling people to disobey the Jewish laws. A riot broke out and the crowd demanded that Paul should be killed. The commander of the Roman regiment was informed that the city was in uproar, so he sent his troops to get hold of Paul. After some confusion, Paul asked the military commander for the opportunity to speak to the crowd and, interestingly, he agreed. This was an incredibly sensitive moment. Many in the crowd were going to hate what Paul had to say, and he knew it. He needed to tread with extreme care. He began by addressing them as brothers and fathers, the same way in which Stephen had commenced his final speech. But what really impressed them was that he spoke in Aramaic, their own language. That showed great sensitivity, and the crowd gave him their full attention. Paul launched into his testimony. He went into the details of his conversion on the road to Damascus and his calling to go and share the good news with the Gentiles. This triggered a huge reaction, and the crowd shouted that he wasn’t fit to live. Paul wouldn’t have been remotely surprised by the crowd’s reaction, but he had achieved what he set out to do. However, he would never have had that opportunity if he hadn’t approached his task with care and sensitivity. Question What do you learn from Paul’s example? Prayer Lord, help me to be as courageous and sensitive as Paul in sharing my testimony with others. Amen
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  September 10th - Acts 21:13 10.09.2026 2min

  Acts 21:13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” There was no stopping Paul! He was absolutely determined to go to Jerusalem, and no one was able to stand in his way. That’s not to say they didn’t try. When he arrived in Tyre in Syria, he spent a week with the believers there and they prophesied that he shouldn’t go to Jerusalem. Some days later, he went down the coast to the important city of Caesarea, where he met a man named Agabus who had the gift of prophecy. He dramatically took hold of Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands with it. He then declared that the owner of the belt would be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem and then turned over to the Gentiles. Upon hearing this, everyone begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. But he wouldn’t be stopped. If risk assessments had existed in Paul’s day, he would undoubtedly have been told that it was much too risky to head to Jerusalem. But Paul’s mind was made up, and off he went, believing that he was acting in obedience to the Lord. We all face risks in life, and this incident emphasises that there is something far more important than risk: being obedient to Christ. I am convinced that we should always live responsibly and be aware of potential risks, but Paul reminds us that obeying the Lord is what really matters, however risky it might be. Question What risks have you taken in your Christian life? Prayer Lord God, help me to be willing to be obedient to You, whatever the cost. Amen
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  September 9th - Acts 20:36-38 09.09.2026 2min

  Acts 20:36-38 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. There was clearly a very strong bond between Paul and the Ephesian elders, and this moment of parting was painful. Paul had an absolute conviction in the wonderful future that God had for him. He often spoke with great confidence about the afterlife. Even so, this moment of departure was sad, and the tears flowed. We shouldn’t be afraid of our emotions. At the funeral of a Christian, we always have much to celebrate. Our life is secure in God’s hands for time and eternity. Nevertheless, there is real sadness when a Christian dies, and it is important for us to be open about that. Death cannot separate us from the love of God, but it does separate us from one another for a while. These verses are important for me because they reveal the depth of love that these Christians had for one another. During my years of ministry, I have moved on to a new sphere on a number of occasions. I have always found those moments incredibly painful and never without many tears. In every situation, precious relationships have grown up and deep roots have developed. The pain of moving on has been real, but I don’t regret it because it has revealed the love that I’ve shared with others, and for that I will always be grateful. Question How do you cope with moving on? Prayer Loving God, thank you that You are with me all the time amid all the changes and challenges of life. Amen
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  September 8th - Acts 20:28 08.09.2026 2min

  Acts 20:28 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 suspect most people would not choose to be compared to sheep! It would hardly be seen as a flattering description. Sheep are rarely viewed as the brightest of animals and are generally understood to be easily led. However, God’s people are frequently described as sheep-like in both the Old and New Testaments. It therefore isn’t surprising that as Paul addresses the Ephesian elders in his final talk with them, he speaks of their responsibility to care for the flock. Caring for the Church was such a great responsibility that the person had to be appointed by the Holy Spirit. That is still the case today. If an individual feels an inner conviction that this is something they should do, it should always be greatly welcomed, but it isn’t enough. That inner conviction needs to be carefully weighed and assessed by others who, listening to the Holy Spirit, will seek to discern whether this is God’s will. There are many different aspects to a shepherd’s role, but they are summed up in the word love. We see that supremely in the example of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who gladly laid down His life for His sheep. We need to thank God that the Holy Spirit continues to appoint people to the awesome responsibility of church leadership. Question How do you understand the role of the shepherd in church life today? Prayer Thank you Lord for those whom You set apart for leadership in the Church in our day. May they be faithful in guarding, feeding and caring for their flock. Amen