Personal Updates: The Blessing of Having A Shepherd

After writing so many musings, well, just to update my bros and sisters who read this on what's been going on in my life. Sorry I've not been updating very much on my personal life... the past few weeks have been really quite a lot of stuff, ministry, work and walking with God. So much to write, muse and think about, but so little time. But thank God so much for the blessing that He gave me - a life to the full. :D So this post is trying to trace out what God has been doing in my life...

The Blessing of Having A Shepherd

My sheep will be getting a new shepherd soon, because I'm in the Hopekids CG already. Something I really want to thank God for is that God has allowed me to recommend a certain bro to my sheep's CL to be his new shepherd... and God confirmed the choice. I think it's really such a joy to know that you can rest your mind and heart at peace, knowing that you are able to handover your sheep, whom you took care of, mentored, discipled and trained, to another brother who has a shepherd's heart and a heart for God's word, and the appropriate level of maturity too. :D

I'm right now without a shepherd. But I'll get a new one sooner or later (I have to remind Hong Teck about this haha...). But even now, I am so blessed to be able to have a group of "Wise Men" - a band of wise and godly brothers - whom I can share my life and thoughts with, even my emotional rantings, because they understand the reason and the heart behind these rantings. :)

On the bigger scale of things, being without a shepherd is kind of like flying solo. Not to say that you fly totally independently - you still have to keep in touch with your air-traffic controllers and so on... (this is just an analogy). But there's the feeling of wishing that you had an instructor by your side to guide you.

But come to think of it, one major objective of shepherding is to raise up disciples who are able to take stronger ownership of their own lives. Not to be spoon-fed, but to train themselves to distinguish good from evil and to walk closely with God everyday... and to also go on and mentor younger disciples likewise, reproducing spiritually. This is especially important if you want to go for missions overseas.

And I'm so thankful to God that He is training me in this area. In a sense then, I'm simply like most of the Christians in Singapore who have a cell group, a ministry and Sunday service. It's just that Christians in Hope are very fortunate to have a mentor assigned to them. XD Hey having a godly shepherd who loves you and is committed to discipling you is a HUGGGGGGGE blessing ok! So must appreciate, honour and love your shepherd ok!

So yup, as Hong Teck quipped, "Well, for now, the CG is your shepherd!" :) Funny lah. But really, very true too. Learning to live lives in community, in the Body of Christ.

Which goes on to my next thanksgiving post...