Shepherd According to God

Shepherd the flock of God among you, overseeing not under compulsion but willingly, according to God… 1 Pet.5:2

Shepherding according to God is one of the high peaks of the divine revelation. Recently, I enjoyed this truth in the semiannual video training. I am familiar with the term shepherding. In fact, I have also been doing my best to shepherd the saints and the new ones. Though I may not be up to the standard as revealed in the Bible, still I did my best, according to me so far. But this time the truth is, shepherding according to God, not according to me. I have been shepherding according to myself, in the way I felt best. That kind of shepherding has been very short and limited. Because it was all according to me if I like it I shepherd, and if I don't like it I don't shepherd. I have been revolutionized in my understanding of shepherding. I must be one with God and shepherd according to God.

Those who shepherd the flock of God should shepherd according to God. To shepherd according to God is to shepherd according to God’s nature, desire, way, and glory, not according to our preference, interest, purpose, and disposition. According to God in 1 Peter 5:2 means that we live God. In order to shepherd according to God, we need to become God in life, nature, expression, and function but not in the Godhead. We need to become God in His attributes of love, light, righteousness, and holiness. We need to become God in His function of shepherding the flock of God according to what He is. If we would shepherd according to God, we need to become one with God—John 14:20; 1 Cor. 6:17. When we are one with God, we become God in life and nature and are God in our shepherding of others.

After enjoying the message on shepherding, the Lord also led me to shepherd some saints in line with being "according to God." This Monday night, with my wife and another sister, we went to visit a new one's family. Though the traffic was bad and we needed to spend time and energy, the visit was worth it. Initially, I wanted to bring along another Hindi-speaking brother as I was not fluent in speaking Hindi. But when we were at the new ones' home, the Lord gave me the utterance. Perhaps, first time in my life, I was able to speak Hindi, shepherding a Hindi-speaking family without any need for translation. As I fellowship with the new ones, the Lord gave me the utterances. The words just came and I was able to speak the truth in Hindi!

The new ones truly enjoyed the meeting that the key member of the family, the father of the household, went on to enjoy two messages from the Shepherding Materials, besides quoting a couple of other Bible verses he has been enjoying. They all understood the truth messages we pursued together in addition to all the fellowship we had and the hymn we sang. The new ones were so shepherded that they even opened up about their concerns and clarified some of their doubts. In fellowship, we were able to clear all their doubts and concerns. After such a cherishing and nourishing shepherding, they decided to come to the Lord's table meeting regularly and also requested a regular home meeting every Monday night.

Another family who I have been graced to shepherd was visited last Saturday. I myself with two other couples in the church visit this family. Our shepherding visit cherished them so much so that they finally took the decision to start coming to the Lord's table meeting regularly which they wanted to do so even in the past. Another step of shepherding in the Body was needed to make this practical. I have also been enjoying the morning revival together with this brother.

Another young brother has been in touch with me. Whenever he calls and visits me, we fellowship at length concerning spiritual matters and his personal matters too. I am learning to shepherd him according to God by turning to the Lord concerning how to shepherd him. Each person I have been graced to shepherd has been different. Only by being one with the Lord, can such shepherding be carried out.

Similar shepherding is going on with my niece. Now we have mutually agreed to spend time once a month, to have an all-inclusive fellowship on whatever is the need. In this way, the Lord has been leading me to shepherd according to God. These ones and a few other saints are under shepherding. All shepherding will gradually be according to God.

Lord, shepherd me according to You and gain me to be one with You that I can shepherd according to You.