He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the
lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and
gently lead those that are with young.
Isaiah 40:11
care, watching over them—not because you
must, but because you are willing, as God
wants you to be;” (vs. 2a) and furthermore
“not lording it over those entrusted to you,
but being examples to the flock.” (vs 3) How
easy it is to fall into the habit of leading my
children out of dutiful obligation instead of
a willing heart. To lord my authority over
them instead of being a humble example to
my little flock. How do my priorities and
emotions so quickly go from enjoying my
Lord and enjoying my children, to elevating
my own needs and agenda above all else?
But praise God, he hasn’t called me to
parent without offering Himself as my own
Shepherd to carry my frustrations, lack of
wisdom, stress and disappointments. For
in this very same chapter, Peter says “Cast
all your anxiety on him because he cares
for you.” (vs. 7) Is there a mother out there
void of anxiety? What a relief that God
doesn’t just “put up” with us unloading
our burdens onto him. No, he welcomes
our hot angry tears, our broken prayers of
repentance, and even our doubting honest
cries, when we don’t see the end of the road
any more and we are beginning to despair.
He invites us to throw all our tangled and
knotted up worries on Him. And praise
God, He doesn’t shepherd his children
with impatience and irritability. He enjoys
and delights in me, even though I know for
certain that I am not easy to parent. For
God is not like man. He is the perfect chief
Shepherd. As beautifully pictured in the
book of Ezekiel. God speaks of shepherding
Israel in this tender way, “I will feed My
flock and I will lead them to rest,” declares
the Lord GOD. “I will seek the lost, bring
back the scattered, bind up the broken and
strengthen the sick;’’ (Ezekiel 34:15-16a).
What a lovely picture of God’s tender affec-
tion and devotion to His children. There is
not a better example of how I am to lead my
children, than in the manner in which God
leads me.
So this summer, as I continue the same
daily routine of trying to raise boys into
men, while running the details of our busi-
ness, may I not forget the most important
thing. Allowing my perfect Father to shep-
herd me, as I follow close behind him. And
may my own flock see me walking humbly
before my God, and by his grace, may they
behold the beauty of my Shepherd, and will-
ingly choose to follow Him too.
Juliane Wiebracht is a homemaker in Longview,
TX who shares God’s love with women who are
incarcerated.
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