Shepherding according to God

1 Pet. 5:2 - Shepherd the flock of God among you, overseeing not under compulsion but willingly, according to God; not by seeking gain through base means but eagerly. 
Note from the Recovery Version: I.e., according to God’s nature, desire, way, and glory, not according to man’s preference, interest, and purpose. 

These days shepherding has been the main concern among all the churches and among all the serving ones here in India. I have also been so much burdened for shepherding. Though I have been shepherding I am not too sure if it was according to God. The phrase, "according to God," is what matters most to me. 

As I was spending time in the Word of God on shepherding, studying different scripture portions with prayer, I was so enlightened to see the importance and depth of shepherding, and how it is closely related to carrying out the Lord’s testimony and fulfilling His eternal purpose on the earth. 

In fact, the same week's morning revival also was on the same burden. The ministry helps me a lot in my understanding of shepherding. 

A light on "according to God": God is well known by His divine attributes of love, light, holiness and righteousness. To shepherd according to God is to shepherd according to His love, light, holiness and righteousness! This sentence itself is a yardstick to check the genuineness of my shepherding thus far. Since God’s love is unconditional and eternal, my shepherding should also be such. I was exposed at the choice I used to make for who and on what condition to shepherd. It is truly easy to choose the good sheep for shepherding. But in many cases, what I have are only bad sheep and black sheep. Thank God for this revelation. 

I am glad that the Lord gave me a particular sheep that need special attention and care all the time. He's been given up by his own relative too. Somehow, I have been graced to shepherd him, not by weekly visit or giving messages, but by living together with him. When things were not good, the Lord reminded me "to shepherd according to God" with much love and tender care. Come what may, shepherd his soul until full grown and maturity in life. 

Similarly, the Lord's speaking is the same for all that I have been shepherding, both individuals and families. Which means, I must take God as my life and living to be able to shepherd according to God. Under the life dispensing of God, with His divine light shining, and His divine love flowing, in His holiness and righteousness, in oneness with Him, the shepherding work of the saints must be carried out. In this way, the Body of Christ will be builded up to fulfill God’s eternal purpose. 

The following Lord's day, I released my burden to the saints in the church in Gurgaon on being under the Lord's shepherding and in turn carrying out the work of shepherding according to God.

Praise the Lord for this commission of shepherding according to God!

Lord, train me to be a shepherd according to God.