Shepherding and Shepherding

He said to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Shepherd My sheep. John 21:16, RecVer

The Lord loves us and we love the Lord too, of course, by His divine love. The reality of loving the Lord is shepherding His sheep. 

These days, though I did not travel for the ministry, I have been very busy in my locality. Personal time with the Lord in prayer and the word, official works on the weekdays, small group meetings during the week and the church meetings on the weekends, and taking care of the family's need, especially caring for my father and mother who are with us these days. Life is truly meaningful and worth the life. Each day, when I reviewed what were done during the day, I was amazed at how much works were accomplished. Sometimes, I could hardly believe that I could do so much everyday. If not by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, it would have been impossible. Praise the Lord!

Some noteworthy visitations were:

Out of burden from the Lord, I initiated a weekly Recovery Version Study time with two different young brothers on the Lord’s Day afternoon and evening. Each time, we simply read a chapter from the gospel of Matthew and then, all the footnotes in that chapter. Then, a fellowship on the crucial points with illustrations and examples. Each session began and ended with prayers. The whole session lasted about an hour each. In that way, the burden for shepherding the young saints was being carried out. May the Lord gain these brothers and perfect them for His testimony. 

A sister has just shifted to a new house. Yesterday, we visited her and enjoyed a time of fellowship over lunch. She invited us a week ago for this visit. She also confirmed to us her deep concern for the things she have been going through. We encouraged her and prayed for her. 

This week too, an old contact contacted my wife and requested if her maid could go to any "church." We just replied that we could pick and drop her. So, today after her maid attended the meeting, we dropped her off and also spent a time of fellowship with her. Actually, we preached the gospel in a way of friendly talk and read a portion from the ministry material online. We believe this was the Lord’s doing to save her and her household. We pray that the Lord would save her and her who family. This was perhaps, the second time we visited after about five years gap. A lot had transpired in her family by then. She has been much open for the gospel now. Lord, save her.

Likewise, my family has been graced to participate in the small groups meetings on Tuesdays and Fridays. Each group has each own needs. And the shepherding was carried out according to the situation in each group.

Meanwhile, a brother who is in the Middle East, in the midst of the war there, called me twice for prayers this week. He is one of the young brothers shepherded from his young age in the church life here. We prayed together for ourselves, the Lord’s move in India, and the situation in the UAE. It was such a sweet shepherding prayer time.

In this way, the Lord is shepherding the saints and the new ones in His way and at His time. I have been graced to be shepherded along with all these ones. That's why my life has become kind-of busy but enjoyable and very meaningful. I believe this is one of the reasons God had called me to serve full-time. Praise the Lord!