When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw this large crowd, and his heart was filled with pity for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things.
—Mark 6:34 (GNT)
In our opening text, the Bible records that when Jesus saw the multitude, He had pity on them. The question is why? The reason our Lord Jesus Christ took pity on the people was because they were like sheep without a shepherd. This means they had no one to teach them the truth, no one to guide them, and no one to lead them in the path of righteousness. To salvage the situation, He gathered them and began to teach them. He took up the role of a shepherd and guided them through His teachings.
Now, this might not look like a big deal, but the truth remains that a man without a shepherd is in a terrible state—and he doesn’t even know it. Sadly, too many of God’s people today are without a shepherd. They see no reason to have authority over their lives. Some even say they have the Holy Spirit, and that is all they need. While that’s true, they fail to understand that the Holy Spirit has His role to play, and a human shepherd also has his role to play. The earlier they understand the importance of this, the better.
Beloved, if you truly want to walk with God, learn His ways, and grow spiritually, you must be under authority. Granted, Jesus Christ our Lord is our Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4), but God still wants us to be under the authority of a human shepherd who is anointed and appointed to teach us the principles of God’s Word, lead us in the path of righteousness, and guide us in the things of the Spirit. The role of a human shepherd in the life of a believer cannot be overemphasized. That’s why the Bible says, “He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…” —Ephesians 4:11–12 (NKJV). Did you see that? God instituted these offices in the church to equip believers for the work of the ministry.
If you want to minimize your errors and excesses and grow as a believer, you need to be under the authority of a shepherd. Therefore, I encourage you to submit yourself under the authority assigned to you by God. If you already have one in your life, make a conscious decision to be faithfully submitted to that authority, and watch your life move from glory to glory. Hallelujah!
Today’s Rhema
When you humbly submit under the authority of a shepherd, you unlock the blessings of submission to authority!
Confession for the Day
Thank You, Heavenly Father, for teaching me this truth. I choose this day to be under the authority of a shepherd, and as I do this, the blessings of having a shepherd are manifesting in my life, in Jesus’ name. Amen!
