Loved by a Shepherd

This Sunday I'll be preaching at a church in Stephenville. This church is in a rebuilding stage with their leadership and so they've asked four Highland elders to give messages on shepherds for the next four weeks. I'll be speaking on the heart of the shepherd. As I prepared my message after work yesterday, the Lord brought back this memory. I cried as I wrote it.

There have been many moments when I’ve been on the receiving end of pastoral moments. When my shepherds ministered to my family and me in our times of need. One such moment that stands out was when I was let go from a job in 2002 – two weeks before Christmas. It would end up being nearly 6 months before I got another job. And early on in that journey, my wife, Susan, told me one morning: “Jim, I’m praying that God will use this time to show you how much He loves you.” And oh, how that prayer was answered. Especially through one elder named Dickie Porche.

A few days after I lost my job, some of the elders invited me to a meeting they were having at church one afternoon. They wanted to pray for me. I walked into that room, sat down, and read to them my prayer request. They then gathered around me, laid hands on me and one of them led this beautiful prayer. Then as I stood up to leave, a bunch of them came over and gave me a hug. As I was walked out of the room, Dickie followed me out and said, “Jim, be sure to tell Susan and your kids how much we love you guys.” About three months later, while looking for full-time work, I really needed some income even from a part-time job. Dickie somehow found out and gave me a call. He invited me into his office and offered me a temporary job as the church maintenance guy. Which was rather ironic since I’m not the most likely guy to be the handyman for our large building. But Dickie knew I needed work…and also a place to belong. And I’ll always remember that moment in his office when he looked me in the eye and said, “Jim, do you realize how much this church loves you and your family?” During this time in my life when I felt really vulnerable, moments like these when one of my shepherds loved me with the love of Jesus, I experienced how much God loves me.

In mid-March one afternoon, right around my birthday, I was outside painting one side of the Highland building. Dickie buzzed me on my cell phone and said that the staff is having their break time. He wanted me to join him. And so I quickly cleaned up and headed to the conference room. As I walked in I saw the entire staff and Dickie, standing in front of a birthday cake. Dickie said, “Happy birthday, Jim.” Jesus showed up that day as that group of brothers and sisters, led by this one shepherd, loved a man who felt down and vulnerable. And I’ll never forget it.

When have you been shepherded by a shepherd in a way that reminded you of Jesus?

Jim